For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the organs in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single organ, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. 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 parts of the body which seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those parts of the body which we think less honorable we invest with the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior part, that there may be no discord in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
I Corinthians 12:14-26
In I Corinthians 12, St. Paul compares the human body to the church, the Body of Christ. The lesson in this passage is that each part of the body of the church is important. Each person has a role to play in the output and for the well-being of the entire body. The parts of our human bodies work together and whatever we output is the result of this collaborative effort. When the a person succeeds at something, all parts of his or her body are honored. And when part of a body suffers, the whole body suffers with it.
As an example, if I get positive feedback on something I write, my brain that thought of the idea and my hands that did the typing both rejoice equally. If I stub my toe while sitting down at my desk, my brain thinks of the pain (albeit temporary) and for a few minutes, my mind cannot think of writing and my hands cannot execute writing because my brain is thinking only of the need for pain relief.
The parts of our bodies are interconnected and interdependent. As St. Paul writes, “The eye cannot say to the hand ‘I have no need of you,’ nor against the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’” (I Corinthians 12:21) The heart and the brain work together. The heart beats to keep the blood pumping and the body functioning. The brain provides the thoughts that get executed by the rest of the body.
In a spiritual way, however, the heart and the mind play off each other as it pertains to conviction and action. The conviction of the heart, stirs the mind. And the things that the mind meditates on stir the heart. The heart and mind comes together and they direct the hands. The eye also factors into the equation and so does the ear. Because the things that are seen by the eye and heard by the ear are processed in the mind and convict the heart. If a person sees things that are unhealthy, the mind and heart either work hard to purge these images, or they succumb to the images and let them take root. It is better for the mind and the heart not to be tempted, or to have to work overtime to purge what is unhealthy. It is better to work to avoid the unhealthy and sinful images that tempt the mind and the heart of even the strongest person. It’s the same with the ears. When the ears hear gossip, as an example, the heart and mind must work overtime to not jump in. However, gossip is so tempting, that when we hear a lot of it, we are likely to be stirred to jump in. It is better to avoid gossip altogether.
Jesus says in Matthew 6:21, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” In other words, our hearts become convicted by the things we treasure. The convictions of the heart will then affect the brain which will affect the hands and the other senses. So now we not only have to guard our hearts, but we have to be careful about the things we treasure, or the places we put our treasure (our time and our money), because these things will lead our hearts.
In Matthew 15:18, Jesus says “But what comes out of the mouth proceeds form the heart, and this defiles a mam.” And by extension, what comes from the heart affects the mouth and the hands. Going back to Nehemiah 2:18, So they strengthened their hands for the good work, the good work cannot come from sinful hands that are driven by a sinful mind and heart. They all go together. Thus, before we can get too far in reflecting on strengthening hands for good work, we must first strengthen hearts and minds, because these are what strengthen the hands for the good words that they do.
The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein; for He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the rivers. Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in His holy place? He who hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false, and does not swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the Lord, and vindication from the God of his salvation. Such is he generation of those who seek Him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors! That the King of glory may come in. Who is the King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle! Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors! That the King of Glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory! Psalm 24
Everything in our bodies is interconnected. Let us take care to safeguard all of our senses. In strengthening our hands, let us also strengthen our hearts and minds, by meditating on the things that are holy. Faithful conviction of the heart will lead to a desire for God’s wisdom in the mind which will result in holy works done by the hands.
