A Broken Kxy

The following was written to illustrate the importance of even a small thing. While it humorous, it does serve as a reminder of the vital importance that everyone of us plays in the plan and purpose of our heavenly Father.

“Evxn though my typxwritxr is an old modxl, it works quitx wxll xxcxpt for onx of the kxys. I havx many timxs wishxd that is workxd pxrfxctly. It is trux that thxrx arx forty-onx kxys that function wxll xnough, but just onx kxy not working makxs thx diffxrxncx. Somxtimxs it sxxms to mx that our church is somxthing likx my typxwritxr -- not all thx kxy pxoplx arx working propxrly. As onx of thxm, you may say to yoursxlf, "Wxll, I am only onx pxrson, I don't makx or brxak thx church." But it doxs makx a big diffxrxncx, bxcasx a church, to bx xffxctivx, nxxds thx activx participation of xvxry pxrson. So, thx nxxt timx your xfforts arx not nxxdxd vxry much, rxmxmbxr my typxwritxr and say to yoursxlf, "I am a kxy pxrson in thx congrxgation and I am nxxdxd vxry much."

It is easy to see the importance of the “e” key on this broken typewriter! Our personal gifts and talents are equally important to the work of God in the world today. This is the teaching of the apostle Paul to the church at Corinth.

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 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? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. (1 Corinthians 12:12-27 NIV).

There is so much that could be said both about our responsibility and the church’s role in insuring the “body” works as God desires, however let’s just focus on our role. Whatever God has given you it is meant to be used for the building up of the whole Church. When we depreciate our worth or impact, we hurt the whole body. I once knew an older woman who had been confined to her home because of illness. When I visited with her, when told me she was so sorry that she could not do anything for the church. She had been very active in choirs and Sunday School in the past. She went on to say, “Now all I can do is sit here and pray.” I quickly told her that her “all” was more than enough to make the difference. She became one of my strongest prayer warriors. We’ll only know how much her prayers meant when we all get to heaven! Whatever God has given you to do, it is vital to the health and victory of the church!