Have you ever tasted the attainability of a lofty Bible verse?
Some hefty verses keep you wondering how, in this fallen world, God will ever accomplish it. Like this one: “until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Eph 4:13).
On Sunday I caught glimpse, as sampling, of the possibility of this verse. The reality of it was modeled by none other than . . . children!
The teacher held up a labeled map and asked, “What do you see?” Several hands shot up like darts. They patiently waited to be called on, although bobbing with excitement in their seats.
“I see Galilee,” said one. “I see Decapolis.” “I see Egypt.” On it went, each child eager to share what they saw. Each seeing something different—until, collectively, they “saw” the whole map.
Away went all the helps, as the teacher pulled out a blank map. “Who can come put on the map what you saw?”
Again, their zealous little hands flew up. They patiently waited, as the teacher called each one to come to the front of the class. Each one filled in another missing piece until, together, they completed the map. Each one contributed that one thing they knew to make up the whole . . . working together.
One by one, they shared what they saw and remembered. In sharing, they taught one another. They grew in knowledge together . . . as one.
Each one saw something different. Each one shared what they saw and remembered. Each one made a contribution to the whole.
Granted, this is on an infinitesimally small scale in comparison to the huge promise. But the principle is there. And these precious souls modeled the application.
It was discipleship at its finest—and simplest.
Each disciple makes a contribution to the whole, until we ALL reach unity in the faith—from varying backgrounds, age, race, and gender.
Each are both feeding and being fed. Teaching and learning. Serving and being served. In community. Into Christlikeness.
As disciples of Jesus, we all know Him as Savior. But we each have different perspectives. We have experienced Him in different ways. Some may know Him as teacher, others as healer, and even others as provider. And when we come together to share those experiences, we fill in the gaps of what someone else might be lacking. Pooling what each has, in community, helps us to collectively see more of Him.
Testimony informs and grows faith.
God’s grand plan is exponentially larger than that map of the Middle East in that Sunday school classroom. But I felt like God blessed me with a peek into the mechanics of His vision. Those kids got it—each member of the Body, working together to serve the Body, builds unity of faith and knowledge of Jesus Christ.
May we take note . . . and do likewise.
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