Which Part Are You?

A few weeks ago, my family and I went out for dinner. This does happen occasionally, as we enjoy the time out, and we don’t always want to have to do the dishes afterwards. We went to a place where we don’t normally go, just to keep things fresh, and as we were seated, our server came to our table and introduced himself. The first thing I noticed is that our server only had one arm. Based on some personal experience I had with a student who had a similar situation, this looked to be something this man had been born with, as opposed to an accident or injury.

With two boys under seven, my fear was immediately that they would say something or stare at the young man, putting unwanted attention on him. I certainly didn’t want our kids making him more uncomfortable than necessary. Though I am ashamed to admit it, I even had a fleeting thought of “how can he be a server…?”

He was very friendly, and chatted with all of us, and took our drink orders. That’s when they noticed. They could’t stop looking. Trying desperately to get their attention, I decided to offer soda for dinner (which was not in the plan, but an emergency attention-getting maneuver which other parents will understand), and they did manage to look away to answer my question. We had a quick and quiet conversation after he left the table to get our drinks, and that seemed to end that problem.

As it turns out, this young man was a remarkable server. NOT just remarkable for someone who is overcoming an obstacle that many of us don’t face, but genuinely very good at his job. He was attentive, friendly, and on the ball with refills. There were no difficulties for him in carrying the tray of drinks, or even bringing our tray with five meals on it! Humbled again, I re-learned the age-old lesson about books and covers and all that.

I thought about this experience after the pastor started his series on “The Body Of Christ.” In a move of divine coincidence, the 7th Grade Sunday school class that I’ve been teaching has been talking about their identity in Christ, and this past week was how that identity fits into the whole Body. Individuals are “Fearfully and wonderfully made” according to Psalm 139:14. There are no mistakes, even though our human understanding occasionally questions that statement. God uses us the way He made us, period. This guy with one good arm did the job better than some people who have been blessed with both of their arms. He obviously learned to function at a high capacity, and more than likely, while ignoring the stares and judgments of people through his whole life.

The Body of Christ is a specific design. All of us who claim to be followers of Jesus have a place in the Body. We are all parts. Yes, there are many extraordinary individuals who learn to function with reduced capacity, but the Body of Christ is not designed to adapt like that. It is designed to be whole, and for each individual part to function according to design. God doesn’t make mistakes. Our personalities, abilities, talents, and gifts were all given to us with a purpose. Whether we are to be the eyes, mouth, hands, feet, or even kneecaps of the Body of Christ, we all have a job. When we don’t do our job, we are hindering the whole Body from operating correctly and to full capacity.

What part are you? If you don’t know specifically, are you even trying to figure it out? Each of us has a part to play, and there are many that don’t know Christ that are counting on us whether they know it or not. In the same vein, prosthetic parts don’t fill those voids, either. False followers don’t work as well as organic, real believers in Christ. We need to examine our hearts, and truly decide if we’re doing our work in the Body, or if we are even a genuine part of this body at all? While my experience with a wonderful server taught me a few things, the Body of Christ cannot serve those around us if it isn’t working properly.

Filtered or Unfiltered?

Sitting on the ledge of our refrigerator door is a Brita Pitcher. For those unfamiliar with that, it’s basically a plastic container that has a fancy filter for purifying tap water, and said filter must be replaced when it wears out. Having now had the thing for over nine years, I have replaced the filter many times. At first, the individual filter box said that they lasted for 3 months, and it even came with a little static-cling “sticker” that you put on the pitcher to remind you when to replace the used filter.

Somewhere along the line, they decided that the filters were really only good for two months, making you have to change the thing more often. Since you’re buying these in the store, my cynical side kicked in and led me to believe that they really would last three months, but they can sell more this way.

I don’t suppose I’m bothered by that as much as I am with a discovery I’ve made with the last two or three new filters. It has always been the case that Brita recommends that you run at least two pitchers of water through the filter without drinking them, and in an ever so environmentally friendly way, go and water plants with it, because it’s still perfectly good water--just not for drinking.

It even tells you that it is normal for one or two black particles from the filter to escape into the drinking water reservoir. However, what I have begun seeing is that within a week or two of using the new filter, HUNDREDS of little black particles are escaping and ending up in the drinking water. They sink to the bottom, so if you’re careful, you can avoid them, and then dump that water (or use it for plants, apparently), rinse out the pitcher, and then refil the thing again. That seems like an awful lot of work, and terribly dirty water for something that’s supposed to filter it and even purify it.

I’m on a Brita boycott. I just drink from the tap now. Yes, it’s ridiculous to some, but if I’m going through all of that, I’d rather just turn on the faucet and run water over my ice and be well into drinking a second glass before I could even go through the whole “dump the not so pure purified water, rinse out the pitcher, refill the upper container, and wait three minutes for not-so-clean-but-okay-for-plants-purified water to be ready to pour. Is it just me?

Okay, so here’s the point. What good is a filter if it doesn’t work the way it’s designed to work? If air filters in the house didn’t catch as much dust and debris as they do, how much worse would allergies be? If oil filters didn’t catch some of the impurities and grime before sending it through your engine, how long before they tore up the pistons and killed your car?

There are thousands of impurities in this world, and many of them get into our lives whether we want them or not. I’m not just talking about water, air, and oil now. Sure, we have sunglasses that filter out UVA and UVB light that can damage our eyes, but what about the filth and grime to which we are exposed on TV, movies, or even on the streets as we drive to the store? (For those that argue we could just turn off the TV, etc.)

Just because my windows are closed in my car, doesn’t mean that the children in the back are completely filtered from the fellow driver who chooses to listen to profanity-laced music very loudly with his windows down, making it very clearly audible in my vehicle.

It used to be that there was a filter of “common decency” or “common courtesy” that existed. I’m not that old, but I know things have gotten worse even since I was in high school. I truly believe that in this world of selfish rights and privileges, that the “do whatever you want whenever you want” philosophy has hit a bloated point of negative returns. Being free to do something and following through does many times, in fact, infringe upon someone else’s right to NOT have that same experience.

I realize that not everyone adheres to the same values I do. I accept that. Not everyone chooses to do their best to pass every thought, action, or word that comes from them through the filter of “is this a demonstration of truly loving God and loving others as Jesus said.” (Matthew 22:37-40) Oh, I’m not perfect. My label clearly says that it is normal for one or two black particles to slip through my filter and into life. But I am trying, and I know that there are many others who are.

Until that day comes when most people are trying to filter out those damaging impurities, I guess it’s up to those that do choose to live that way to hold fast, and continue to do our best to set a good example. Once people have the opportunity to try this living water that can flow from us, they might just find that it is much better than the worldly well from which they’ve been drinking.

Tangled Up

I have a special ability. It’s a gift, really. I’m not bragging here, I’m just stating fact. No matter where I am in the world, or what I am doing, I have a sixth sense that allows me to detect and make physical contact with spiderwebs. Even if there is a a line of sixty people, and I am the last one in that line, and everyone before me is taller than me, and none of them walk through it, I could walk exactly in the same path and discover even just a single strand of spider silk, and it will stick to my face or my head. It’s just an amazing trait I carry.

Others have been able to do this, and not all of us have been happy with this particular faculty. I, for one, do NOT like spiders. I’m not so much scared of them, because I will step on them and get rid of them, but they still give me the old-fashioned “Willies.” But those silly invisible webs leave me feeling dirty and unclean. Once I hit one, and get tangled up in those little strands, it takes a lot of effort and work to feel like I’ve fully removed the offending “strings.”

I’m not proud of this, but I’ve been known to take a whole shower just because I could still feel the small threads stuck to my head stubble or brushing against my arm. It bothers me to a level that is beyond rational, and borders on Obsessive/Compulsive. Please don’t judge me...we all have our “things,” and this is mine.

How often could these “phantom webs” be similar to sin in this world? We could be walking around, minding our own business, and before we know it, we’ve stumbled upon something that we have no business being around. Maybe you were at school, just walking to class with some friends when you ran into a situation where you were picking on someone and tearing them down, just to get a laugh. Possibly you were just walking to the copy room at work, and before we know it, we have hit a conversation with co-workers full of juicy gossip. What if you were just sitting at Burger King having a juicy Whopper with Cheese and you stumbled upon an intense jealousy and desire for the iPad 2 that the guy eating chicken fries two tables over is using?

The truth is, not all sin is obvious and easy to spot. Before we know it, we are tangled up in it, and we didn’t even see it coming. Here’s the problem, not everyone responds to the tangle of sin the way I obsess over spider webs. Some people still don’t even know it’s there and feel nothing. Sometimes I don’t even notice that type of entanglement. The sin just stays on us as we go our merry way.

How cool would it be if we could feel these sin webs as soon as we spotted them, giving us the ability to avoid them altogether? Or even if we could just immediately feel dirty and wrapped up enough in our sin to repent and ask forgiveness on the spot.That would be a helpful ability.

Oh wait! We DO have that ability. It’s called the Holy Spirit that lives inside of us as followers of Jesus Christ. (Admit it, some of you didn’t see that coming.) If we learn to listen to and follow the guidance of the Spirit that lives within us, He can warn us well in advance of getting tangled up in Sin. Not only that, but if we should be so unfortunate as to choose to ignore Him, then He will also impress upon us the conviction that we have fallen into sinful behaviors or attitudes. We can then immediately ask for forgiveness, and turn away from that web of mistakes. Yes, there may be some lingering consequences that leave you uncomfortable, but even the stickiest web can eventually be washed away.

Scripture tells us to “Be alert…” Actually, it says it 8 times in the NIV according to BibleGateway.com, but all of them refer to staying aware of our surroundings--both physical and spiritual--and watching out for danger. Sin is dangerous. But, if we trust the Holy Spirit, and pay attention to when He warns us, we can learn to avoid these invisible silks, and walk in the path of righteousness that is free from spiders altogether.