How To Avoid “The Unimportance Trap”
Charlie underwent cardiac surgery to correct a problem in his heart, but in the process, his vocal cords were paralyzed. While the procedure fixed Charlie’s cardiac issue, the vocal cord nerve damage did not resolve. The cords could not move and Charlie was unable to breathe on his own. He could not eat or speak. Soon, he developed pneumonia. His overall condition became grave.
Every part of the body is essential
Charlie’s experience paints a good picture of why every part of the human body – and every part of the body of Christ – is interdependent on the others. When the nerves didn’t work, many of Charlie’s other functions couldn’t work, either. It didn’t’ matter that Charlie had never heard of laryngeal (lar-in-juhl) nerves prior to his surgery, or that they performed a function that is hidden beneath the skin’s surface. Their malfunction weakened him.
The same is true with the different parts that make up the body of Christ. Every Christ-follower has an essential role to play in God’s Kingdom. When we use our strengths, we allow the body of Christ to function fully. If we don’t, everybody is lesser for it.
The Unimportance Trap
It could be easy for a laryngeal nerve to say, “I’m not important in Charlie’s body because I’m not the heart, the hand, or the brain” – all commonly-recognized body parts. But that kind of thinking is misleading and untrue. While laryngeal nerves may have little notoriety with the average person and zero external visibility, they are crucial. Their demise affected Charlie’s whole being, forcing him to idleness, inactivity, and loss of purpose.
In the same way, it’s easy for Christ-followers to fall into the trap of thinking their strength or gifting can’t contribute to the Kingdom because it’s not front and center in the worship experience … because it’s not “spiritual enough” … because they’re new believers …
We depend on each other
If you don’t understand your strengths or don’t put them into practice in the body of Christ, you can fall into The Unimportance Trap. It’s one of the enemy’s most useful tools in building inertia and encouraging jealousy, conflict, and division in God-ordained relationships. The truth is that members of the body of Christ rely on each other to get the job done for the Father.
Don’t ignore or diminish your own God-ordained “laryngeal nerve.” Find your strengths. Use them. Your brothers and sisters are depending on you to do your part.
More devotionals …
Devotional: Is Your Eyesight Fuzzy or Clear?
Devotional: Pen in Hand – Embracing Your Strengths
Devotional: Individuality or Conformity – Must You Choose?
Devotional: Understanding Others’ Strengths: Do You Have a Good View?