Scripture for Today:  I Corinthians 12:17-18  “If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be?  If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?  But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.”

I am not such a big fan of onions, although my husband is.  I do understand their health benefits and even how they can spice up a dish.  But I am annoyed when their odor makes me tear up or when my hands smell.

When we lived in Germany we helped our German friend cut pounds and pounds of onions for the “flammkuchen” or onion pizza sold at the village fair (Budenfest)  We found that after several hours of cutting, there is no more smell and no more tears!

Our verse for today talks about the sense of smell being important for the body.  In this chapter the Church is likened to a body made of differing parts.  All parts are needed for good health.  Each member of the body has an important role to play.  God is the One who decides what member we are and what role we are to play.

Some members of the body seem to get more recognition than others.  We look at each other and feel it unfair that the role of someone else is more visible.  But in fact, if we all had the same function in the church there would be chaos.  We need each other.

If I am a nose rather than the eye or the hand, than I need to be satisfied with that.  I want to serve Him faithfully in the role He has given.  Lord, keep me from an attitude that would “cut off the nose to spite the face!”