By Derek Prince
The world is full of all kinds of people. Just looking at someone’s exterior, you might say, “I don’t see much to get excited about.” You could look in the mirror and perhaps say the same thing about yourself. But we need to look below the surface and see our brothers and sisters as members of the body of Christ—people for whom Jesus shed His blood and died.
If we fail to appreciate and honor other people, we are grieving the heart of the Lord, because the Lord loves everyone enough to die for them. It grieves the Lord bitterly if we have a wrong attitude toward a member of His body, if we look down on others and discount their value.
I believe that was the problem of the people of Corinth, whom Paul addressed in two epistles. There were many wrong relationships between them. They did not discern the Lord’s body in one another (see 1 Corinthians 11:29), and Paul said:
“For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep [have died]” (verse 30)
I suppose this reason could well be the major cause of sickness among Christians today. I have to say, with deep regret, that many Christians do not treat one another at all like fellow members of Christ’s body.
Thank You, Jesus, for making me a part of Your body. I proclaim that I will, by Your grace, honor other members, seeing them as individuals for whom Jesus died, for I am a member of the body of Christ. Amen.
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