The Fruit of Dependence That Grows in Communities

By Chantal Huinink

You may understand that no one is an island or even that there are benefits in working with others. After all isn't it common knowledge that two heads are better than one but chances are you minimize the extent to which you depend on others. This may be due in part to a need to control the outcome but it's probably also significantly related to the need to ensure that you are not a burden on others. As it says in 1 Corinthians 21-23 “The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect”.  The eye cannot say to the ear I will need you and the ear cannot say I don't need you.  In today's culture we may be more likely to say something like I don't need you… Very much or I need you but please don't feel obligated to help me.

We misunderstand dependence as akin to increasing the hardship or burden s of others. From there we often wonder, how sharing our burdens or increasing the hardship of others possibly glorify God or benefit the community. The truth is that similar to the old adage, one man's junk is another man's treasure, the things that we view as burdens often have the power to bless others. For example, you may feel like an ill-equipped worship leader with the gift to sing but not play an instrument. From your point of view it may seem like a burden to propose that members of the congregation play instruments so that you can focus on singing. Yet by inviting others that you know are musically talented you are edifying the gifts of others and encouraging them to be used in a meaningful way. Similarly, why would the woman in the wheelchair teach Sunday school if she needs an assistant in the classroom. Perhaps there is a member of the church who loves children but does not feel qualified to prepare Sunday school lessons. In this case both individuals would be afforded an opportunity to serve.  Every “weakness” present in someone is an opportunity for someone else to use their gifts.  If there is a person who does not seem capable of making a contribution to our community it shows we do not know them well enough.  As the verse says no matter how they seem they are “indispensable”.  We may not ever know how they were used in this life but we are all needed.

By depending on others we remind ourselves that we cannot do it alone. We allow others to feel needed. We benefit from the development of such gifts and ultimately become more like Christ as we gain a fuller perspective on who God is, based on the different talents that he has given to each of us.