BEN F. VICK, JR.
In listening to ballplayers and coaches' interviews before and after big games, a statement that I often hear is something like, "Everybody has to do his job." The meaning is everybody on the team has a role to play. If the coaches have prepared the team for the upcoming game and send in the right plays during the game, the possibilities are good that the team can be successful. Football players must know the plays, routes they are to run, or the ones they are to block. If each player does his job, the team may come out as a winner. Team sports require that everyone do his part or job.
There are team players and there are individual players. Team players do not care who gets the credit for a great play or winning the game as long as his team wins. There is no place for selfishness or sulking on a team. Everyone has a job to do. A good running back in football may go into the end zone and pound his chest as if he did it all by himself. However, the line had to block, the quarterback had to make a good handoff, and a tight end may have had to make a crucial block for the running back to cross the goal line. But he could not have done it on his own. He had to have help. The men in the trenches (the linemen) usually get little or no recognition for what they do, but a team cannot be successful without them.
The body of Christ in any location is like a football team. Everyone has a role. Carefully read what Paul wrote:
For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. (1 Cor.12:12-27.)
Every member of the body of Christ has a role to play, a work to do. Not all can do the same job. Our responsibilities, opportunities, and talents vary. However, every team member is in the game of life. There is no bench sitting. Members are not to be spectators. There is no sitting back and watching to see what happens. Each is to use his or her talent as he or she has the opportunity. We should look for opportunities. The parable of the talents teaches us that one can lose his soul for not using what he has (Matt. 25:14-30). That is a sobering thought. If you are a Christian, you are in the game. So, there is no gawking to see what others are doing or not doing. I am to do my job, regardless.
If I may change the metaphor, we have some wonderful "worker bees" here at Shelbyville Road. If someone is sick or someone’s loved one dies, there are good sisters who quickly and without prompting, take a dish of food to the ones hurting. Before the pandemic hit us, when someone was in the hospital or at the emergency room, a good brother or sister would be right there for support. A house-bound couple’s day was brightened by a family that planted flowers in their yard. If a widow needed her house's gutters cleaned, a family would be climbing the ladders to help. A widow needed her windows and deck power washed, a good brother takes a day to go over and help. If someone were sick, a card, call, or visit from someone would be made. New movers bags are delivered to doorsteps by a good sister and others as they are able. On and on I could go with good deeds some members have done. Many of which I know nothing about. We have members who are not sitting in the stands or on the bench being critical of those in the game. But there is no room in Christianity for bench-sitting or "armchair quarterbacks.” Just do your job.
When Dorcas died, she was missed. Luke records, “Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.” (Acts 9:36.) When the apostle Peter arrived, “all the widows stood by him weeping and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas made while she was with them.” (Acts 9:39.) She was missed. Will you be forgotten after you are gone?
Brethren, if no one is doing his job, or in your judgment, not doing it right, each of us still must do his job. On the judgment day, excuses for why you did not do what you could because someone else did not do his job or did something wrong will not stand up. Paul wrote, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” (2 Cor.5:10.)
Just do your job.