Somewhere in between the hours of the afternoon one day and getting up from bed early the next morning, I stubbed my toe. Not just any toe but my PINKIE toe! So I kind of think it was a middle of the night thing on a trip (no pun intended) to the bathroom. Narrowing it down, I do not remember it being injured when I was going to sleep. It definitely was when I got up for the day though. Rather seriously and it made it’s injured little self known without apology.

So of course that got me thinking about things seemingly insignificant that go on functioning day after day while we are pretty well oblivious to them. Just like a pinkie toe. It doesn’t clamor for attention really. I try to keep it trim and polished pretty but that’s it really. It is just one of the several toes on my foot that I collectively put into a fun shoe of depending on the weather and occasion. And if weather calls for it, a warm colorful sock. And though I loved being a barefoot girl growing up, I do love shoes of all sorts and heel heights. This injury has put a damper on wearing most of the shoes I have without pain.

So why all this rambling about a pinkie toe of all things? Because it makes me think about the scripture that tells us we are all part of the body of Christ. How some think others are more important in the body than they themselves are. You know because others speak publicly or travel to far and foreign countries to minister. Or lay hands on the sick and see them get well! But they think because they are in this “lowly” fairly ignored and insignificant place of life, they are meaningless. Not so dear one! Just a badly stubbed toe caused pain and disruption in how my life operated- for days actually!

One Body but Many Parts 1 Corinthians 12:12-27

There is one body, but it has many parts. But all its many parts make up one body. It is the same with Christ.  We were all baptized by one Holy Spirit. And so we are formed into one body. It didn’t matter whether we were Jews or Gentiles, slaves or free people. We were all given the same Spirit to drink.  So the body is not made up of just one part. It has many parts.

 Suppose the foot says, “I am not a hand. So I don’t belong to the body.” By saying this, it cannot stop being part of the body.  And suppose the ear says, “I am not an eye. So I don’t belong to the body.” By saying this, it cannot stop being part of the body.  If the whole body were an eye, how could it hear? If the whole body were an ear, how could it smell? God has placed each part in the body just as he wanted it to be.  If all the parts were the same, how could there be a body? As it is, there are many parts. But there is only one body.

The eye can’t say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” In fact, it is just the opposite. The parts of the body that seem to be weaker are the ones we can’t do without.  The parts that we think are less important we treat with special honor. The private parts aren’t shown. But they are treated with special care. The parts that can be shown don’t need special care. But God has put together all the parts of the body. And he has given more honor to the parts that didn’t have any.  In that way, the parts of the body will not take sides. All of them will take care of one another.  If one part suffers, every part suffers with it. If one part is honored, every part shares in its joy. You are the body of Christ. Each one of you is a part of it.

And that is the way God sees it! He made you with a purpose. Enjoy it! Do you like gardening and canning? Do it with joy! Share with others. Do you have a head for the business world? Take Him there with you! Do you have kids of all ages you are raising? You are incredibly important! Do you change the toilet paper roll in the church bathroom? Are you a greeter? Do you mow the lawn, shovel the walkway at home, church or for a neighbor? Help someone get to an appointment that can’t get themselves there? Can you smile at another person as you go about your errands? None of us are to think more highly of ourselves than the next. Let’s do the thing He puts before us in love and with all our might and watch it flourish and prosper in His hand.

And so ends my discourse on “The Pinkie Toe”. God bless you with blessings that overflow and run over to the next person!