the weblog of Alan Knox

If the appendix becomes noticeable, then cut it out

Posted by on Aug 7, 2013 in blog links, spiritual gifts | 2 comments

The appendix is supposed to sit quietly in place. If it gets noticed for any reason, then it should be cut out – removed.

Dan at “Cerulean Sanctum” thinks that many Christians today feel like an appendix… and I think he’s right. In his post, “The Church’s Appendix,” Dan says that (like the appendix) many followers of Jesus do not understand what role they play in the body of Christ.

At one point, he writes:

I suspect that many people in our churches today feel like the Body’s appendix. Or at least the appendix of old, when we thought it had no real purpose except to go bad and become life threatening.

I think of the person with the prophetic gift that goes unused in a church that ignores the prophetic. Or the person with a gift of words of wisdom but who is not a church leader, so he or she is given no opportunity to practice that gift in the larger church body.

Unfortunately, I think Dan has offered a great analogy.

And, I would take it further. Today, people rarely notice that they have an appendix. But, when the appendix becomes noticeable… we rip it out… surgery… get rid of it.

Is this what happens among the church when an “appendix” becomes noticeable? Is that “appendix” suddenly considered inflamed… irritated… infected? If it doesn’t go back to it’s rightful (quiet and unnoticeable) place, then it will have to go.

Yep. I think that happens far too often.

And, guess what? That “appendix” actually plays an important role in the body of Christ. The church is actually LESS healthy after the “appendix” is “removed.”

2 Comments

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  1. 8-10-2013

    Alan,

    Dan does have a good analogy here. What we all need to understand is Paul’s admonition to bestow more abundant honor on the unseemly members of the body, rather than ignore them.

    One analogy I’ve had, seeing Paul uses the body language, is that I’ve often felt like an organ that was surgically removed from a corpse and placed on ice awaiting a donor match.

  2. 8-11-2013

    Steve,

    Wow… that’s a powerful visual.

    -Alan