The AMI QT Devotionals from March 20-26 are provided by Pastor David Kwon of Journey Community Church in Raleigh, North Carolina.
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT FOR TODAY
If One Suffers, We All Suffer
1 Corinthians 12:21-31
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts.
In an article on NPR.org entitled “Getting Some ‘Me’ Time: Why Millennials Are So Individualistic,” it states: “They are a class of self-centered, self-absorbed, selfie-snapping 20-somethings. This is how many critics have come to define the millennial generation. But hold on, isn’t this what was said about every generation when it was young? Minus the selfies of course.” Individualism has long been considered the hallmark of America. It is appealing because we do not like to depend on anyone else—meaning, we like self-sufficiency.
In this chapter, Paul reminds the church in Corinth that we are to use our spiritual gifts to build up the body, but he also warns the church not to feel like they are so qualified that they do not need the help of others to perform their ministry. That’s why he writes in v.21 that we should have the attitude of interdependency. We need one another to build up the body of Christ. He goes on to say in v.26 that we should have care and concern for one another, that if one member suffers, our attitude should be that we all suffer.
As Paul talks about the topic of love in the next chapter, he is describing how we should love one another within the body of Christ: When we truly love, there is no disdain for one another, no rivalry or competition, no envy or malice, no inferiority or superiority, but only love—a love that is patient, kind, not jealous or boastful but always rejoicing in the truth (1 Cor. 13:4-6). Only Jesus can produce this kind of love and affection for one another.
Pray this morning that you would have a greater love for the members of the body. As we are called to use our gifts, pray that the Holy Spirit would break our individualistic attitude that often hinders unity but rather a love that would produce unity.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for showing us the importance of the body of Christ. May we have a greater appreciation and love for the churches we attend and serve. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Matthew 15
If you are a college basketball fan, you know that March Madness is taking place now. It is the biggest and greatest tournament in college sports where the top 64 teams compete to become college basketball champions. Every year, without fail, there is always one team that surprises everyone – an underdog or unknown college team that somehow make it far in the tournament. Often, the reason why these underdog teams do so well is because of how well they play as a unit. Where they lack in talent, they make up in playing as a unified team, which often brings success.
When we look at the topic of spiritual gifts, we see that they have two major purposes. First, the gifts are given to edify the body of Christ. God has individually given us specific and unique gifts to minister to one another. That is why it is so important for every believer to be part of and actively involved in the local church body so that our gifts are used to their full potential. Second, the gifts are given to confirm the Word of God. The Apostle Paul addresses spiritual gifts in his letters (Romans 12, Ephesians 4), to instruct us how the body of Christ should function and how we are to participate in building it up.
If you ever played organized team sports, you know the importance of finding your specific role on the team according to your abilities. Growing up, I played Little League baseball competitively, and I got to be on some winning teams. What made some of these teams successful was a common understanding that the pitcher, catcher, first basemen, and all the other positions understood what they were good at and also knew the role they played for the betterment of the team.
A few weeks ago, my oldest daughter asked me, “What’s the purpose of daylight savings time?” At first, I gave her a general answer, but after doing some research, I came back and told her the history, rationale, and purpose of daylight savings. I’m not sure it actually satisfied her question, but at least she has a better understanding of it!
The AMI QT Devotionals from March 20-26 are provided by Pastor David Kwon of Journey Community Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. 
Today’s passage is difficult to interpret, and the temptation might be to look at what Paul says in the opening verses of 1 Corinthians 11 as entirely cultural, and as a result, dismiss what he is saying. Without denying the text’s complexities, we can begin with what is clear in today’s passage.
A famous author once said, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” We all have people and role models in our lives where we want to strive to be like them in their character, abilities or even their way of life. In high school, I played for my varsity golf team, and I remember wanting to be like my golf coach in many ways. He was a talented teacher and golfer, and knew how to specifically help each of my teammates with their swings and pointed out areas of improvement. He also taught us to play the game with honor and ingrained in us the importance of losing graciously. We were told to respect our opponents and congratulate them, even when we lost. It’s something that I remember even today.
In Living Water’s after-school program, one of our most popular songs has a refrain that goes: “Do Lord, oh do Lord, oh do remember me – way beyond the blue.” While this song is catchy and fun, I’m not sure what that line is getting at. When we like a song or a quote but we’re uncertain as to what it means, we tend to fill in the blanks ourselves. Sometimes we do this to Scripture.
They say that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Whether this is sound dating advice or not, we understand that sharing a meal is about much more than counting calories or satisfying hunger. Birthday parties, weddings, and many other events are purposely scheduled at meal times because food is intimately connected with relationships.