For a long time I have heard Jesus' stories about the church as the body of Christ.  I never really understood the connection between interdependence and the Church.

I've heard many sermons about volunteering as the body and that the Church cannot function without the many different pieces of the body.  And that you shouldn't feel bad if you are just a toe or a finger in servicing as a body; because the Church needs ALL the pieces of the body to function.  But still, I never understood the connection with the Body and interdependence in my personal life.

"…so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other." Romans 12:5

But as I have been studying what it means to be interdependent on one another - I have realized that Jesus was also talking about interdependence of believers in relationships as well.  Having one relationship where you expect to have all your needs met will only leave you feeling frustrated and needy.  I'm not saying that God can't use one person to meet your needs, but the frustration comes when we put that expectation on another person.  God created us to need interdependence, but society looks at us as if we are weak if we ask for it.  Who wants to admit that they are needy and have other needs that not just one person can fulfill?

I grew up being taught that I needed to be an independent woman.  And taught that I could do anything I set my mind to.  This is all great in theory, but without others we can not become who God created us to be.  And if we stay independent, we can of course accomplish many things, but I believe God had something else in mind.  He doesn't just want us to accomplish ordinary things - He wants us to accomplish the Extraordinary!  Don't we all want to accomplish something that will withstand the test of time - something we can look back on and say "Wow - look at that.  It's Amazing!"

I have learned over the past couple of years that we can accomplish many things on our own, but I truly believe that the works that will be worthy of praise can only be accomplished when we become interdependent in the body of Christ.

Let me explain.
God calls us to be the body of Christ.  He calls us to hold each other to a higher standard.  It is only when we reveal the dark corners of our soul to others that God, in the way that only He can, heals those dark, murky places.  He cleans us up and weaves us together into a tapestry of broken people that make an extraordinarily beautiful thing.  "The Body of Christ".  And once we are woven into the body, we can do the Extraordinary.

Are you in the Body?
I still don't have this figured out, but will continue to pursue this for the rest of my life.  When I look back, I want there to be extraordinary things accomplished throughout my life by His tapestry of interdependence.

What do you see when you look back? 

Written by: Suellen Moody, CNL leadership team