(Eph 4:16) – “from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”

Fellowship had finished and we stood around the notice board on the ground floor, ready to embark on our journey home. “You guys are tall! Can you help me pin these schedules up on the notice board?” Sister A asks. We respond with a chuckle, Brother A replies “I can’t do it, I’m way too short, sorry. The other two can do it!”. Sister A gives Brother B and I the schedules. “I cannot push the pins in!” I explain, as I use all my might to shove the pins into the notice board, “I’m far too weak! It’s up to you now!” Looking at Brother B.

Sister A, Brother A and I, stood around Brother B’s towering height, “it’s not quite straight”, “you need to flatten out the paper a bit more”, “a little bit to the left, a little bit to the right, there we go!” we chimed. Brother B was about to push the last pin into the board, “brother B, you’re perfect for this job, you’re tall and strong enough, sorry we couldn’t be much help” I say. But Brother B exclaims, “My fingers are too fat! It’s hard to put these pins in, they’re hurting my fingers!”. We all gave a final laugh and watched as the final pin was placed.

This testimony shows the importance of doing our part in God’s work. God gives to everyone different strengths and weaknesses, not one person is an ‘all-rounder’. The four of us struggled in some way to fulfil this seemingly simple task, not one of us was capable of doing it on our own. Where one lacked height had strength, where one lacked strength had height, where one had both height and strength struggled with the small pin heads. But, together as a unit, and supplying what we could, be it delegation, eyesight, direction, height or strength, we all did our part for the completion of the task. God gives His children something to share in the work (Eph 4:11), when we are willing to share it, we’ll find that it fits perfectly into what the body may be lacking, causing growth for the edifying of the body of Christ.

Let us work effectively in our servitude to God, by sharing the gifts and talents the way He intends us to, being united to edify and cause growth to the body.