The Body of Christ

This is a picture of Henry and some cousins at our family reunion this summer.  I like the joy with which they carry each other.  This is a story about adults carrying each other.

"Mommy, why is she coming over for dinner, again?" Obviously non-family dinner company is rare at our house and Frances was just trying to figure out the situation.

I commented that I had invited a friend over for dinner because she seemed in need of some company.  We were flat broke at the time, but still had food in the fridge because we've bought ahead when there were sales and deals at the grocery store.

"And why is she washing our clothes?"  Frances seemed confused.  I guess if I were almost 10 it wouldn't make a lot of sense to me either.

"Honey, every body has tough times to go through.  Right now, Mommy is going through a tough time and worrying because our washing machine is broken and I don't have a way to fix it or buy a new one right now.  It stresses Mommy out to see a pile of laundry growing bigger and bigger and not knowing how to deal with it. Mommy also happened to notice that someone else was going through a tough time and seemed sad and worried.  I invited her over for dinner because we have food and company. She's doing our laundry because she has a washing machine."

This is how to Body of Christ works. Or the way it is supposed to work, I guess.  I acknowledge the fact that it doesn't always work that way.  Even I am a bit surprised when it works the way it should, because I am not used to it.

Over the summer, I had a last minute child care situation during the week of Vacation Bible School. I couldn't take the kids to work with me and I couldn't stay home either.  Another mother offered to take my older two in addition to her four!  And then when I tried to pay her for it, she responded by saying, "You have worked with my kids at VBS when I can't.  I am happy to watch your kids for you. Then there was a freak dust storm or onion cutting demonstration in the public library, because I teared up right then and there.

I go to church regularly.  I teach Sunday School and volunteer at Vacation Bible School.  I try to say my prayers every day and I try to teach my children about God and Jesus and striving to be like Him. I've heard about "the body of Christ" for as long as I can remember. I've heard about treating others as you would like to be treated.  And yet, when I encounter the Body of Christ in my daily life it still surprises me.

I never expected someone to watch my kids for me for free. I never expected someone to wash my clothes for me. (I have been so overcome with thankfulness that I still can't seem to be embarrassed that another woman has washed my underwear and matched my socks!) I never thought that having a friend over for dinner would be so uplifting and fulfilling for me! I truly never expected that a friend would connect me with her sister who had a washer and dryer to sell because her family was moving. I certainly dropped my jaw when she said we could have them for free! I am grateful for the friend who spent his evening driving 90 minutes round trip to pick up and deliver new appliances to me.

Folks, I've heard all about the Body of Christ and they way things should be, but He and His friends have genuinely knocked my socks off in the past month.  The hands and feet of Christ have washed my clothes, cleared my table, cared for my children, given me a washer and dryer, delivered said washer and dryer to my house and more. I am overwhelmed with thankfulness for these people that God has placed into my life.  I sincerely hope that I can pay it forward and be His hands and feet when and where I am needed.