From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.
Ephesians 4:16,17
Nothing builds itself. It takes equipment, tools, people, and experience to put up a building. It takes lots of time, talent, and resources to build a car. It takes seed, soil, fertilizer, rain, and sunlight to grow vegetables. And when it comes to God’s people being built in love, we have a role to play. We each have a part. We each have work to do.
When something is joined together, the different pieces fit tightly together. Each piece was made to do the job it was designed for. It has an individual role to play. It has its own purpose. But it doesn’t stop there.
Not only was each piece made for its own job, it was also designed to rightly and tightly fit next to the pieces its next to. Each piece has an individual role to play. But it also has a role in the overall design. In the bigger picture.
And while this joining is going on, the whole body is being held together. The pieces are being brought together. Combined in the right way. In the right order. They are interconnected, intertwined.
Think about boarding a plane. You can’t board a plane in advance. Individually, you get in line. You move along with the line. You wait your turn. You take your seat. Everyone is still an individual, but they each have their part to play.
