The Important Conference

Continuing in the spirit of agreement we present, "The Important Conference" held by the members of the Body of Christ to determine which member and function is the most important.

It is important to note that many members considered their work more important than any conference and refused to attend. These members included the Liver, Spleen, blood, blood vessels, lungs, and many others. After considerable discussion (some rather heated) the right eye, the right thumb, the right big toe, the heart, and an unmentionable part who forced his way into the conference with the argument that his job was so important that the body would die if he did not or could not do his job. The tongue was excluded by majority vote. The members felt that if the tongue were included the conference would never end and the body would suffer because so many important members would be distracted.

It was agreed, again after much discussion that the topic was to be, "What Part or Function is Most Important to the Body of Christ." It was agreed that each participating member was to make a brief statement (No more than 200 words) explaining his or her importance to the body of Christ. After a few hours discussion it was agreed that the right big toe was to speak first (Most privately felt it would be worth it to expose with his own words how very unimportant he was.) After discussing the order (by size, placement in the body high or low, amount of actual work done, etc. and etc.) in which the other members would speak it was finally decided that they would speak in alphabetical order.

 
We spare you the discussions of the rules of order finally agreed upon, the proper manner of addressing each other even more finally agreed upon and again etc and etc. 

The Right Big Toe said, "I balance the Body, if I am removed or inactive the body will fall. It takes months for the Body to learn to walk properly after my loss or my inability to function." If the Body cannot walk it cannot walk the narrow way therefore I am the most important member of the body. It was deleted from the official report but there was a distraction then as the left big toe shouted, "And you do it all alone too, right, brother?"

Next, the Right Eye spoke, "If the body can't see it will fall in the ditch and be hurt or killed and that in spite of all the right big toe can do to balance it. Without me the beauty of our Lord's creation would be unknowable to the Body. Even love would be almost impossible without sight and it would be nearly impossible for the Body to read and so would always know less than it needs to know. Therefore I am indispensable to the Body! The other members of the conference were beginning to consider his statement when the left eye stormed in and shouted, "Right brother, stupid brother! It is clear that you have always believed natural sight is more important than spiritual sight!" And then the left eye quoted the HEAD, (Mat 5:29 KJV) AND IF THY RIGHT EYE OFFEND THEE,
PLUCK IT OUT, AND CAST IT FROM THEE: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. ---Finally the conference was adjourned for the day because all knew the eye's argument had been going on for years and none expected a resolution in this life.

The Heart said, "If I quit pumping for more than 3 or 4 minutes we are all dead. I believe that makes it obvious that I am the most important part of this body. The other parts were trying to formulate an answer when unexpectedly the Brain who had not been invited or recognized interrupted with, "I will have a comment on brother Heart's comment later on."

The Right Thumb, still confused over the Brain's interruption, spoke. I am the gripper. That is, almost nothing could be lifted or carried by the body without me. Everyone agrees that the opposing thumb enhances the Body and it's intelligence by enabling it to grasp, hold and examine objects. Actually not just the body but mankind is in great measure, because of the opposing thumb's abilities enhanced and enabled to do more.
Immediately another distracting interruption by the hands, "And you do your gripping all alone, right, thumb?  The interruption was not included in the minutes. After all, by their own choice the fingers were not part of the conference. The Left Thumb also had a strong negative comment but was silenced before he could speak.

The Unmentionable Part spoke slowly and clearly. "I know my name is not mentioned in polite society because I excrete the Body's waste. But if I cease to function, in 2 or 3 days the body will be quite uncomfortable and unless I begin to function properly death will occur in 2 to 3 weeks. So you don't have to mention my name but please know I am essential to the body's health and comfort and my function is eventually life or death to the body.

While the conference thought and talked about how long they had to discuss the matter the Brain spoke up, "I am the brain and almost nothing is done in or by this body without me. But remember my function is dependent upon nearly all of you, without you I would die, just as without me you would die. In fact our Head before we were created decided exactly what was essential to the Body. You must remember we are HIS Body. In fact, this conference and all your bickering about who or what is important, is just silly because HE had it all planned all along. Besides which of you can be the heart or the right thumb or anything other than what he or she was designed to be by the master designer?

(1 Cor 12:13 KJV)  FOR BY ONE SPIRIT ARE WE ALL BAPTIZED INTO ONE BODY, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (1 Cor 12:14 KJV)  For the body is not one member, but many. (1 Cor 12:15 KJV)  If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? (1 Cor 12:16 KJV)  And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? (1 Cor 12:17 KJV)  If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? (1 Cor 12:18 KJV)  But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. (1 Cor 12:19 KJV)  And if they were all one member, where were the body? (1 Cor 12:20 KJV)  But now are they many members, yet but one body. (1 Cor 12:21 KJV)  And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. (1 Cor 12:22 KJV)  Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: (1 Cor 12:23 KJV) And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. (1 Cor 12:24 KJV)  For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: (1 Cor 12:25 KJV) THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO SCHISM IN THE BODY; BUT THAT THE MEMBERS SHOULD HAVE THE SAME CARE ONE FOR ANOTHER. (1Cor 12:26 KJV)  AND WHETHER ONE MEMBER SUFFER, ALL THE MEMBERS SUFFER WITH IT; OR ONE MEMBER BE HONOURED, ALL THE MEMBERS REJOICE WITH IT.---

Would God the church could grasp this truth and live it! Those of you who are interested in church growth and especially those of you who are prophesying that God is going to do it all except take the offering, let me assure you, OBEY and DO this scripture and teach your people to obey and do it and your church will grow!

(1 Cor 12:27 KJV)  Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. (1 Cor 12:28 KJV)  And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. (1 Cor 12:29 KJV)  ARE ALL APOSTLES? ARE ALL PROPHETS? ARE ALL TEACHERS? ARE ALL WORKERS OF MIRACLES? (1 Cor 12:30 KJV)  HAVE ALL THE GIFTS OF HEALING? DO ALL SPEAK WITH TONGUES? DO ALL INTERPRET? --- Of course they don't do much of this in the United States and the majority wrestle not with anyone or anything or any issue. I have seen and heard MANY, who are so obviously bound by the devil in so many kinds of error and bondage actually teach that they have the devil under their feet.

Jesus said --- (Mat 25:44 KJV) Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or a thirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? (Mat 25:45 KJV)  Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, INASMUCH AS YE DID IT NOT TO ONE OF THE LEAST OF THESE, YE DID IT NOT TO ME. (Mat 25:46 KJV)  AND THESE SHALL GO AWAY INTO EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT: but the righteous into life eternal.

Love does, at least eventually, what love does! Hate and indifference do what they do. What do you do? God is love! We are ordered to love and are supposed to be filled with God the Holy Spirit, are you treating even your family as you would treat Jesus the Christ? Because believer you are in fact treating those around you as you would treat Jesus Christ! Because love does what love does judgment day will be easier for the Lord than most imagine, all HE has to do is remember how you treated Him in the person of your wife or husband and/or other people around you.

Love doesn't have and certainly won't take time to worry about who is or is not important or more important. But remember, while love actually does what love does and hate actually does what hate does, people who are good at making excuses are seldom good for anything else.

Let me say, agreement is important and agreeable, but true love is often, if not usually, hated. So agreement really proves nothing, but true caring/love ALWAYS does! --- (John 13:35 KJV) BY THIS SHALL ALL MEN KNOW THAT YE ARE MY DISCIPLES, IF YE HAVE LOVE ONE TO ANOTHER.

Please Brothers and Sisters, What do you have physically, mentally, or spiritually, that you did not receive? --- The Apostle Paul settled the issue this way. Would God we the body of Christ could receive this truth and walk in it! (1 Cor 4:7 KJV)  For who maketh thee to differ from another? And WHAT HAST THOU THAT THOU DIDST NOT RECEIVE? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?


By Ben Lucas
E-mail: colprez@juno.com