No man is an island

John Donne (1572-1631) said: ‘No man is an island’. I think this is Lesson 1 in the Kingdom. I cannot function on my own; I am part of the Body of Christ (Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 12:12 that ‘we are all members of one body’).

This is a challenge to me! I studied Theology and even spent a couple of years in the ministry and at some stage the Church stopped being Body or Bride to me. It became my job. It became the place where I had to fight for my rights. It became the place where I burned out. It became the place I gave up on and eventually left.

CS Lewis wrote in The Screwtape letters that humans cannot see the true Church, the Bride of Christ that existed for the past 2 000 years. Instead we see buildings, denominations, other Christians with their shortcomings and faults… and lots of fuzzy pictures of heaven and what it would be like. I also saw church boards, unfair labour practices, long lonely hours and disparity.

What I saw was a very skew picture, it was not church. Church ultimately is Bride and Body. Church is a household like any other where things need to be done. Someone has to take out the garbage and someone has to do washing. It is not just a place, it is alive! It is where God meant for me to be. Not just be, but serve.

What does being part of the body mean in my Western, individualistic world?

I guess:

- I do not have ‘rights’.
- I need to give up ‘my stuff’.
- I need to be connected and functional in the Body.
- I should (at least) attempt to see the Bride, not just individuals.
- I need to serve the Body (with everything I have).
- I need to be concrete in my thinking – I cannot focus so much on my fuzzy ideologies and pictures that I am no good to those in need living all around me.
- As part of a Body, I cannot make my own decisions, I am lead and directed by the Head (Jesus) and need to move with the Body.
- I need to respect other Christians (across the man-made church barriers).

After all… I am not an island. I am part of the most amazing living organism ever!