So You Want To Be A Foot?

(My apologies for not knowing the source of this beautiful graphic)

There are many people in our world who will tell you that you can be anything you want to be – there are no limits to what you can achieve. All that is needed is to set and achieve goals, a step at a time and never, ever, give up your dream. You will read stories from and of people who have followed these instructions and are multiply-successful in all phases of their lives. I’m not refuting their stories at all.

No way I’d attempt to prove their stories right or wrong – it was theirs to live and to share.  But what if someone wanted to be a foot and instead should have been an ear?
Not familiar with that concept? Come see a few scriptures. Sunday’s sermon included verses from I Corinthians 12. Paul is writing to a church that needs a few lessons. Just as we still need a few lessons today.

Paul knew scriptures very well, and used Isaiah 52:7 in a letter to Romans:

How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! (Romans 10:14-15 KJV)

There are a lot of people who feel they want to be the one to use their feet to preach Christ’s gospel of peace, bringing glad tidings of God’s redemption. But not all people should be missionaries – though all have a mission.  Take Paul’s examples in Chapter 12.

Paul is describing a single body – the total body of believers in Christ – being made of multiple parts. God has given us all gifts:

And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. (1 Corinthians 12:6-7 KJV)
Paul describes some of the gifts the Holy Spirit works within us. That does not make one “better” or “worse”, either. Whatever our calling, whatever our gift, wherever we work for our Lord, we still do it as one body:

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 Corinthians 12:15 KJV)

While there is a whole study in this one chapter, and I encourage spending time here, relating to ourselves and our own gifts from God, the final verse here leads into a beautiful chapter that applies to all:

But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. (1 Corinthians 12:31 KJV)

Yes – the chapter showing the description and importance of Love.

So – what if you wanted to be a beautiful foot but your calling is simply to show love to all around you? There’s an answer in the Old Testament:

For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?  (Esther 4:14 KJV)

I do not wish there to be enlargement and deliverance from another place when I was placed for a specific time. What’s your opinion?