Who has the most important job at St. Luke’s? Is it Principal Register or Principal Barbari? The teachers? Mr. Lopez who makes all our technology work? Anyone who brings me a doughnut? Who should be in the “honors program” at St. Luke’s? The kids with the best grades? The ones with the highest standardized test scores? The children who are the best behaved and most polite?
I’ve been thinking about those questions in the context of our theme for this school year “We are the Body” based on I Corinthians 12:12-27. At first glance, the answers might seem obvious. Of course, the Principals are the most important. Of course, only the smart kids with the good grades belong in the honors program. But I Corinthians 12:24 tells a different story. “But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it.” Sometimes we might look at others, or perhaps ourselves, as worthless or less important in the grand scheme of God’s creation. We might think we, or others around us, lack “honor” and significance in the body of Christ. Not true! Jesus Christ died and rose again to create a body of Christ where all have honor in Him. Through Him we have honor, glory, and an important place in His kingdom here on Earth. “The parts that lacked it…” In the sinful world we live in, it’s become routine for people to dismiss or marginalize children and adults that don’t seem to measure up, or just don’t seem to be significant or special. But Christ provides “greater honor” to those we might ignore or dismiss. Let’s rejoice in Christ, who enrolls us all in His honors program.