Nope, I Won't Be Forced Into The Box
Certainly in the religious culture I belong to (which I imagine is typical in most religious cultures), there seems to be a tendency to require (whether conscious or not) to try and fit one another into some sort of "cultural box."
It is always refreshing for me me to connect with good people in life who live excellently but have the courage to be their own unique selves: regardless of different backgrounds they have come from, or variety of experiences they have had, or opportunities or trials they have encountered and overcome, or perhaps may be still working to overcome, or goals they may have, etc. What is it they say...."variety is the spice of life?" The truth of the matter is, we are each here to fulfill personal unique missions in mortality, and this would seem to imply that we simply cannot be exactly like everyone else around us.
The Scriptures speak of the Body of Christ as being akin to His church, and teach of the variety necessary for that body to be complete.
1 Corinthians 12:13-22,and 25-26 it reads:
"For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit."
"For the body is not one member, but many."
If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
"And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body: is it therefore not of the body?"
"If the whole body were an eye where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling."
"But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body as it hath pleased him."
"And if they were all one member, where were the body?"
"But now are they many members, yet but one body."
"And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor the head to the feet, I have no need of you."
"Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary."
(Certainly those who may be feeble serve to reveal the hearts of those whom might seem strong. -srb)
It is always refreshing for me me to connect with good people in life who live excellently but have the courage to be their own unique selves: regardless of different backgrounds they have come from, or variety of experiences they have had, or opportunities or trials they have encountered and overcome, or perhaps may be still working to overcome, or goals they may have, etc. What is it they say...."variety is the spice of life?" The truth of the matter is, we are each here to fulfill personal unique missions in mortality, and this would seem to imply that we simply cannot be exactly like everyone else around us.
The Scriptures speak of the Body of Christ as being akin to His church, and teach of the variety necessary for that body to be complete.
1 Corinthians 12:13-22,and 25-26 it reads:
"For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit."
"For the body is not one member, but many."
If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
"And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body: is it therefore not of the body?"
"If the whole body were an eye where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling."
"But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body as it hath pleased him."
"And if they were all one member, where were the body?"
"But now are they many members, yet but one body."
"And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor the head to the feet, I have no need of you."
"Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary."
(Certainly those who may be feeble serve to reveal the hearts of those whom might seem strong. -srb)
"That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another."
"And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it."
I once heard it said....and it is probably true.....that on the Body of Christ, a nose and an armpit will most likely never be best friends. That is OK. Each part is essential to the fullness of the body. That said, perhaps it isn't necessary that we always "get" each different part completely....but that we simply appreciate that we each have unique roles to fulfill and allow for one another to do that.
I have been told that I am probably a mouth on the body of Christ. I'm OK with that. It is probably true. I like to talk. :)
Here's to celebrating not only who we are, but to being grateful for the differences of others and the different roles they have been sent to fulfill. Mostly, here's to focusing on true principles and letting go of cultural expectations or the infamous "box."
Shannon
