The Way Things Work

Romans 12:1-8
I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God--what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; , in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.

Several movie seasons ago there was a movie made for children (but applicable to adults) about a piglet named Babe who was a part of a farm community (all of the animals talked...) Early in the movie there was a scene titled "The Way Things Work" where Babe, newest to the community, was informed by the head of the group (a Border Collie named Fly) that each member of the community had a specific function...and that trouble was inevitable if anybody tried to do or be something outside the order of "the way things work". It was a scene where the established order was presented with rigid definition...strong words that prescibe and dictate who each person is and what each may do. The authority was external and immovable.

Well, Babe pressed the limits. He didn't intend to be rebellious...but he had an inner drive, that wouldn't settle down. He had innate abilities that led him beyond what others said was his purpose: Pigs have no purpose other than to become bacon, pork, or ham. He wrestled with being discounted and rejected, even as he leaned toward a sense of hope and joy that defied initial obstacles and limitations.

Babe exhibited a love for every creature on the farm...an openness to whatever ANYBODY could teach him...a high regard for the value of each ONE. In the guise of one small, innocent being these attitudes blew through the community like a breath of fresh air...it was infectious...and as time passed the animals were drawn to that love and were bound together in new ways.

I recall this simple story as I read Paul's writing to the Romans. Inherent in Christian Community is an order..."The Way Things Work". There is a structure and a system that helps us manage the abundant variety of gifts people bring to the mission, which is to serve in the ongoing transformation of the world. The gifts that surface in the community's membership may be delegated or deployed by a structure that mirrors the way things work in the world...leaders, followers, facilitators, support, encouragers, coordinators, directors, etc. This structure is like an external frame that allows us to "see" the way things work, but the structure is at peril if that external frame becomes rigid and immovable.

Underlying all that we do is an inner power that holds everything together. The inner power is the heart of God, the heart of the Church. It is a dynamic power, a compelling power, which calls us to trust in a hope that stretches all of the gifts of all of the members beyond the order which the world would impose.

The love of Christ supercedes anything that is dictated by the surface structure. All of the abilities...all of the motivation and actions of the members are held before Christ. Together we gather in worship, prayer, study and fellowship so that we can be reminded of the "way things work" according to God's promises. WE are TRANSFORMED in mind and body (action) so that the gifts spill into the world in ways that may intervene, overturn and radically alter the limits of what the world says is possible or even appropriate.

At the center of all that we do is the mysterious, undeniable, eternal Love lavished upon us, and compelling us to exhibit that same love to others.


THAT IS THE WAY THINGS WORK!