Popularity Contest

“Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.” Romans 12:4-5 NLT

Oh yes, the body verse. I always had the idea in mind that everyone was equal, no matter what they did.  Then I found myself thinking only those who attended church and were involved were equal. I'll never forget being at camp back in the 80's and my cousin Stephen approached me. I was just 12 and he was 6. He said Nathan I wish I was as popular as you. Sip some coffee, I read and think. I told him, I wasn't popular but just liked to have fun. Sure I had a few people around me, but that didn't make me popular. I find that the church has turned into a popularity contest and then all about numbers, and why are we dying? I find I'm still recuperating from the days of isolation of going through the motions of church life. I keep on seeing Christ's body in this scripture. Not mine, not ours, but Christ's. It's like on Lord of the Ring's. It wasn't their ring, yet they all craved it except froto. How many times, have I wanted to explode my church with an awesome video show, but they didn't want it. How many times did I have ideas that I kept myself. I kept on thinking it was my church. Then how many time's did I not want to invite people because of how pathetic I felt at church already. The amount of clicks I had no idea was there. I was actually in the mindset that I had to fix people. I would mozy around the room and make sure everyone was "doing good" and happy. You became part of the popular group, or included on the leadership team, or wherever you "fit in". It's about my looks, personality, how I dress, what I do for a living, that fact that I cuss, drink, don't attend alot, etc. People's view of my spiritual growth now depends on how often they see me at church. How pathetic. My right hand could easily look at my left hand and say "why don't I get a wedding band?". Because that's how it is. I found I did the same thing at home. I read and think.

Hits me, God has given the example right here. Its as simple as that, yet I'm going to look at everyone else and point a finger. I'm going to compare our differences instead of how equal we are. What's supposed to be love becomes a popularity contest and how often I attend for the hour and half. Yet I find that I need my brothers to reinforce that it's Christ's body and not mine. He's the popular one that I need to let him show his look and personality, not mine.