How easy it is for us to overlook someone whom, for whatever reason, we discount as useless. No matter how compassionate we may be, we cannot deny our own propensity to not "see" those on the margins in the church, the community and the world. One reason for this oversight is the hierarchical nature of American society that trains us to compete rather than partner with others. Built on the belief that competition is good, we often look to others by only how "useful" or not they are to our advantage. In Sunday's epistle reading, Paul offers a unique vision of the Christian community as an antidote such hierarchy (Romans 12:1-8). In this vision, everyone has something to contribute, for "we are members of one another."(12:5) Such an interdependent body that lifts up the gifts of all can build up trust in God as the foundation of such a living community. I have heard of a church where an adolescent who had cerebral palsy saw his gift as being a greeter when people arrived at the church. Our instinct is to perhaps make a "comfortable place" for someone like him who does not appear to have any gifts to share. But Christian community is born, Paul proclaims, when the thriving of the whole depends upon the thriving of everyone's tapestry of gifts.
What keeps you from encouraging the gifts, talents and resources of others? What gifts to you share that remind you that we are "members of one another"?
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