12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body.So it is with Christ ….14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” ….27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

I Cor. 12: 12-27

Vacations are superdeedooper things. I went on a brief break away a few weeks ago and came back feeling  like the guy you see in the picture above. I felt recharged and refurbished, ready to take on the world.

Then last week half our staff took their turns and went on their vacations. Today I am feeling  more like this guy.

Now I am not here to bash on vacation-taking or vacation-takers; As I already said I think they are superdeedooper. Everyone needs one. Covering for a fellow soldier while they take some down time is just what we should do for one another. It is what we do here at Cornerstone. One steps back to rest and another steps into the gap for a season.

But the vacation season has gotten me thinking. What happens when people don’t just take vacations? What happens when people quit the work because they are weary in well-doing? What happens when people just never show up for their appointed rounds because …..

Everyone in the body is essential. Everyone has a job. If the body loses a hand it’s not like the nose can just pick up what the hand dropped. If the nose decides to quit and jump off the body it’s not like the foot can start syphoning oxygen from the air for the body to keep breathing.

Maybe this is why churches get a bad rap. Congregants complain how the church isn’t doing this or that; Noses blame hands for not being noses and hand blame noses for not being hands and meanwhile nobody does their job. Then fingers point in blame at the pastor because he’s not doing…(you fill in the blank)

Vacations are good things. Sabbath and rest are biblical concepts; but in the body of Christ nobody gets to live the life of leisure while the rest of the body works overtime to fill in the gap left by those who would rather complain about other parts of the body rather than take up their own responsibility.

Hey fellow body parts let’s enjoy our vacations this year but let’s come back ready to work together to finish building the kingdom!