We All Matter

 "The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body..."

Last night I was reading 1 Corinthians 12 and although I've read/heard it many times before, it was a great reminder about how important we all are. The message I received from this was two-fold. 

1) I am important and I am a vital part of the body. Many times I catch myself being my toughest critic. I think most girls/women are like this, no matter their age, but it's not healthy, and worst of all, none of it's true! We're all matter - every bit of us.

Every love handle, every freckle, every ounce of us is important to the body (the world as a whole) and above all, to God.

2) We can't all be great at the same thing. Verse 17 of the same chapter says; "If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?" As I mentioned above, I am a tough critic, but unfortunately it's not just me I'm criticizing most times. (Now, I think most people do this, male and female. We get angry, we get jealous, we just can't get enough.) That being said, I often find myself bitter when I find or consider other people to be talented in ways that I desire to be. That's not cool. (Don't worry though, I've been working on it.)

Anyways, I often don't recognize the flip side of that.

Yesterday I was finally able to rejoice in it, fully and truly. Dave and I were at church (our second visit since we just moved) and a young couple we had met the week before invited us to dinner that evening, at their house with another young married couple. They had taken the time to meet us the previous week, and ask us questions, and get to know us, and it really made a great impact. 

Last night after we got home and I read this chapter, I couldn't stop thinking about how important it was for Dave and I to meet this couple, and how thankful I was for the gifts that they brought to the world. Their outgoing, friendly, and thoughtful personalities meant a lot.  I am glad that instead of comparing or being jealous, I was finally able to open my eyes and recognize that they are so important. 

And I am so important.

And you are so important.

To the world, and above all, to God.

With Love,

-N