The Q

This past Sunday I preached from 1 Corinthians 12:12-31.  In this passage, Paul uses the body as an illustration for the church.  His point is that just as every member of the body is important for the body to be a body that functions as it is designed, in the same way every member of the church is important for the church to be the church that functions the way God designed it.

In other words, Paul is saying that every member is indispensable.

I started the sermon talking about how in the board game Scrabble, the "Q" can be difficult to use, especially if you get stuck with it towards the end of the game and all the "U's" are used.  Therefore, the casual scrabble player does not want the "Q."  The "Q" is undesired, unwanted and often un-usable.

At the end of the service, I said that some people may feel like the "Q" in the church.  Unwanted, undesired and un-usable.  However, there are two things about the "Q" that need to be mentioned.  First, the "Q" is worth more points than any other letter in scrabble, which means it actually carries the most value.  Second, there are words you can make in Scrabble with the "Q" that do not demand a "U."  One example is "QAT."  What both of these facts mean is that the "Q" actually has the most untapped potential of any letter in Scrabble.

In the same way, there are people in the church who have been told (either by the enemy, a person or by themselves) that they don't have a purpose or a calling or a mission.  They have been lied to.  And I believe that those people might have the most untapped potential of anyone in the church.  Because they will give God the credit for good things that happen in ministry instead of taking the credit for themselves.

If you've ever felt like the "Q," just know that it has the most untapped potential of any other letter in the church.  Put the "Q" in the hand of a professional Scrabble player and they will make the most of it.  In the same way, we are all in God's hand and He is a professional working through our weaknesses to fulfill his purpose and mission through us.

May you know and realize that you are indispensable to the church.