The Body

Paul’s treatise on body is a phenomenal way of communicating the oneness we should have within “The Body”. The themes he addresses are varied and challenging. The diversity in the body is a fact we need to live with or rather celebrate. The self-acceptance of our position in the body, whatever perception we may have of the same, is something all of us need to learn to live daily with. And even if we do not feel part of, we still are part! The diversity which brings wholeness is something which we are expected to celebrate. The sovereignty of God in allowing this diversity for a greater purpose should never be forgotten. And the fact that there might be different parts, but there is only one body and we do not have a life without being part of the body is yet another sobering fact. This should lead us to accepting every part as significant and important. Seemingly weak part are more indispensable and seemingly less honorable needs special care! Something which we should always remember! Seemingly non presentable, need to be treated specially! And so there has to be equal concern for every part. And the pain and honor, we suffer or rejoice together. This is in short from Paul.

I am a bit confused. Which body is he talking about? As I look around I do not see such a body! Or at least I have not been part of such one! May be problem is with me – that I have not accepted, contributed to and celebrated “The Body” which I am part of!

At the same time – Paul left out a few issues. Body parts do not function independently. There are systems which control body function. There are about 10 that we know off. The Cardio-vascular, the Nervous, the GIT etc…and each system has multiple parts and all the parts work in well-coordinated pattern, without which we cannot live a healthy life!  For example, what goes into your mouth – some of it has to come out through the other end within an acceptable time, if not you will end up under a Surgeon’s knife!

The systems not only function within themselves, but also cannot function without support from other systems. Systems function by supporting, interacting, directing, moderating, reorienting, reorganizing, stimulating, in synergy, suppressing….and the list goes on. And if this does not happen, we become unhealthy fast! For example – the air that breathe in, unless it reaches the blood and brain as Oxygen soon, we will end up being unconscious, and on a ventilator in ICU! We function together!

And when one organ fails, the whole system is thrown off into disarray. And usually one organ failure will lead to effects not only on the system but on the other organs and other organ systems. Multi-Organ failure is a well-known crises situation in many illness.  We fail together!

And the support you need to return to health is multi-functional support – the ionotropic, the respiratory, the renal, the gastric, the nutritional…etc. We recover together.

Body was created to function as an integrated whole! Somewhere in our scientific thinking – we have disintegrated our body into organs, parts and systems not realizing that these divisions come out from a rational “boxed in” thinking and that is not all what it is. And thus the growth of “Specialists and specialization”. Recapturing body as an integrated whole can affect business of super-specialists and that may not be commercially acceptable.

How true even in “The Body” too. “Boxing in” divisions of themes, roles, specializations for the sake of efficiency and effectiveness, have we lost the body in the process? Recapturing “The Body” might be unacceptable for efficiency but might do well for the members! Worth a try.