One of our wise teachers in the class put it this way (this is paraphrased, and probably badly): Basically that the body of Christ=believers, all serve a function in the body. Some are the eyes that have the gift of seeing people the way God does, or seeing the people and situations that are often overlooked. Some believers are gifted in words and public speaking, and are using those gifts to be the mouth/voice of Christ. Some Christians feel called to missionary, spreading the Good News all over the world-these folks might be like the feet on the body of Christ. (Stay with me on this a minute)...If someone is called to be "the eyes" yet, they do not use their giftings, do not align their passions or careers to God's will, have not tapped into the passions He has put in their heart....then the BODY is walking around with no eyes. (Making sense yet?) Maybe the people gifted in labor or crafting or healing, who are called to serve the purpose of the HANDS of Christ, don't continually seek God's will for their life and are attempting to serve as the FEET....have you ever seen someone walking around on their hands? Not very functional right? This particular teacher said it would be like seeing the body of Christ hopping around on one leg because the folks called in the area of being a leg of Christ just decided to not answer the call and not do the work we as all Christians are called to do.
I have never really thought about the body of Christ in that way before. But it makes sense. Albert Einstein once said "Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by it's ability to climb a tree, it will live its' whole live believing that it is stupid." It is SO important, not only as people but as Christians, to know what God has gifted us in, and to find a way to walk in that gifting. Using our talents not only to glorify God, but as tools in order to spread the Good News and bring the kingdom of Heaven on earth. I am wonderfully creative and have the imagination of a 4 year old child. But if you place me behind a desk to do clerical work for 8 hours a day I will suffocate and die. I will become frustrated in what I can't do, the new things my brain won't learn, the boredom, the lack of color and creativity and excitement, the monotony, I mean none of that work sounds appealing. Yet, somebody else is CALLED to do that and it is their passion! The kind of work that excites their heart! Can you imagine how screwed up the world would be if we were all forced to do things we were not good at, not gifted in, or not interested in?
So after Sunday, spiritual gifts was the topic on my mind significantly, as well as the roles of different people chosen to follow Christ. This thought was the transition into my experience Monday with "Dr." Barry Joneshill of Rosebud, Arkansas--a homeopathic health store owner who serves as a sort of "go-between" with you and God in helping to diagnose and then naturally cure people's ailments. I had heard all of these bizarre stories about him "seeing" cancer in people before doctors ever saw it. Stories of him seeing that so and so was about to be a grandmother of twins, or that this man has suffered depression because of the loss of his father, or this lady who has had fill in the blank happen in her childhood that causes failure in her right kidney. And the list goes on and on! So of course, I was curious to go. And on Monday, my aunt, sister, cousin, and myself packed up and made the 2 hour trek to Rosebud.
We had no idea what to expect upon entering, we did not know there was an 'etiquette' to follow in order to be seen. It was bad enough it was snowing like crazy when we went, but luckily nobody else was stupid enough to get out in it so we did not have to wait to be seen. We made the decision in the car on the way up to his health store, Remedies, that we would just give it to him straight what our ailments were. And then shut up so he could do his thing. He started with my little cousin. Asked her name. "Ashley." Then, what's on her mind. She told him about her severe stomach issues, and getting sick after everytime she ate. All the doctors she has seen about this issue have all claimed stress or constipation, prescribe Miralax, and send her on her way. After about 30 seconds of closing his eyes and praying, Dr. Barry came back and told her that she has 5 ulcers in her stomach and 2 are bleeding. He then asked her questions that backed up what he saw or heard from Jesus, and wrote her out a "remedy."
Then it was my sister's turn. Name. "Brittany." Then a, what's on your mind. My sister told Barry her issues and severe pain. He spent some time with Jesus, then came back and told her the issue-which blew us all out of the water. He also "saw" her broken tailbone (which she knew she had but never said it out loud). He wrote her out a remedy and badda bing badda boom. My turn.
Name. "Meagan". What's on your mind. I told him of several things, none of which seemed to be connected at all. I tried to keep it short and simple so I didn't seem like I was complaining too much. So i said "hormonal acne, severe sinus issues the past couple of years, deep pretty severe pain in my right leg and left arm" That's it. All I said. Instead of a few seconds he spent a good couple of minutes in prayer and came back to tell me that I have 2 cysts on my left ovary. He explained that everything that comes in two's on/in our body serve very distinct yet different purposes. He said the left ovary is in charge of child bearing and creativity. And if something was blocking it there would be difficulty conceiving a child as well as feelings of procrastination and hindrance in creative aspects of life. He said the right ovary controls the feelings of joy and emotions of happiness. He asked me questions pertaining to my mood as well as my rapid brain thought at night, how I can't get it to shut off. My (what I thought was) "restless leg syndrome", bad back, and itchy/dry skin. He addressed my unstable weight as well. And contributed all of this to my body is being tricked...into thinking it is pregnant. So it is reacting in a way that a pregnant woman would! Down to even gaining extra lbs around the mid section as to protect a growing child! CRAZYVILLE! He then told me that there is a nerve at the top of our mouths that serves a critical purpose. It tells our brains to tell our digestive organs to digest our food/pills we take and eat. Somehow, whether through bad dental work or a birth defect, I am missing this nerve. So for however long (maybe forever, who knows) my brain has not been telling my digestive organs how to digest my food and medicines properly. This can cause excess weight gain as well. He then gave me my "remedies."
Last was my aunt. She went in, as we ALL did, assuming she might reference these very specific things she struggle with (her head-migraines, and heart) and he instead tells her that she has been living with walking pneumonia for the past 6 years. As well as her struggle to lose a few extra lbs coming from the fact that she is carrying around 8lbs of excess water weight, which explains her swelling legs and feet and hands and fingers!
After checking out (the visit is FREE and the remedies are not mandatory, just recommended) we left for our long peaceful drive back in beautiful falling snow. I had 2 hours plus the rest of the day to meditate on all he said, compare notes with my family, and try to remember the many ways he blew all of our minds during our visit. The thing I kept coming back to dwell on was this sense of GRATITUDE. Not only to God, for giving him this gift, but to him, for allowing himself to be used by the Lord in this way. He has a teaching degree for crying out loud! And did SO much other stuff in his life before he landed where he is now. I am certain he probably thought his life would take a much different route-and now look at him! He surrendered his life and his plans for himself, and he is being used by God in a MIGHTY way! It was as if while closing his eyes the few minutes he took to pray over us, that he traveled to the throne room, shook hands or gave knucks all too familiarly with JC and said "Hey Lord, what's up with this chick down here. What can I tell her?" Jesus then tells him, and then Barry comes back down to us to deliver the message. TALK ABOUT OBEDIENCE! I don't know anyone else who does that but Barry does. And all I can think of is how GRATEFUL I am that as his sister in Christ and part of the same body he is a part of, that he is truly using his anointing to bring glory to God and victory in the kingdom.
Travel back to what we were talking about earlier. About people trying to walk in gifting that isn't theirs, or not using the talents God has given them. Can you imagine if someone like Dr Barry Joneshill decided to be a....travel agent? Or CIA spy? Or kindergarten teacher? SURE-as a believer he would have been used in ANY and ALL of those places, if that's where he was. BUT, it isn't what he was CREATED to do.
I know this blog is all over the place today. But the general idea is this. If you feel a heaviness or an uneasy feeling about your job, your chosen major at school, going to school at all, your current boyfriend, ANYTHING...I would spend some serious time in the Word, and in prayer. The Word so you can learn God's character and use fundamental truths to fight against the deceit of Satan. And Prayer because this is how we communicate with God. There is probably a reason you feel the way that you do. So act on it. If you have a secret desire to be an acrobat in the circus-and it's a longing you have felt your entire life. Maybe you have done some of it in a camp or playing around on a playground and you know you are super talented in it. Don't take for granted these signs God gives us, or the talents and dreams He has placed in our heart. Don't SETTLE for what the WORLD says that you should do. The ONLY one whose opinion matters is GOD's. And if he tells you to quit college, then for Heaven sake-QUIT. If he tells you to move to Africa and open an orphanage-don't hesitate. FIND a way and do it! We are only given so much time on this earth and God is only giving so many directions, whether we are following them or not. MAKE THIS LIFE COUNT!
Do not, in your comfortable complacency, cause the body of Christ to be walking around missing a leg. Find your gifts, and use them to glorify God. Discover your passion, and incorporate them into your daily life. Ask God to show you how to use what He's given to you to use, and after your surrender then when you hear back from Him, OBEY. As Nike says, JUST DO IT!!
In Him,
Meg