Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 12:12–27 offer a beautiful picture of what it means to belong to the body of Christ. Just as the human body is made up of many parts, each with its own function, so too the body of Christ is made up of many members, each with a distinct role and gift. For just as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.

Paul paints vivid images of the eye, the ear, the hand, and the foot, reminding us that no part can say to another, “I don’t need you.” Every member matters. The eye can’t replace the ear, nor can the hand dismiss the foot; each one contributes to the whole. When one part suffers, the rest of the body feels it; when one part is honoured, the whole body rejoices. It’s a powerful reminder of how deeply we’re connected to one another in Christ.

Paul concludes, Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. These words cut against the grain of individualism. We aren’t isolated believers but members of something larger, bound together by grace and called to serve one another. This passage calls us to unity in diversity, to value each person’s gift, and to recognise that only together do we reflect the fullness of Christ’s living body in the world.