Knit part 3
A quilt isn't much of anything until all of the pieces are knit together. It takes a village to raise a child, right? Working together we can do more than if we try to go solo. We need each other. We're all in this together. Look at Colossians 2:19, "And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God." The body flows down from the Head. He is our nourishment, and our supply. Every good and perfect gift comes down form the Father of lights. God is the Father of lights... because we are the light of the world. He is our heavenly Father. He HAS supplied all our need. So instead of trying to get things from each other, we can give things to each other. When we see a need in someone else, we can fill that need. It always comes back to Luke 3:10-11, "And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do? He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise." See a need and meet it. Live out of your abundance. Because if you notice, it doesn't say, "Give someone your only coat and freeze to death." It says, "If you have two coats..." If you have more than you need... give it to someone who has need. Take care of people. Help people. But don't wreck or ruin yourself in the process. This is important. But equally important is understanding that God has given us everything we need in order to be able to help people. He has blessed us to be a blessing. We CAN help each other, because He has helped us. Look at Ephesians 4:15-16, "But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ. From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." Our supply comes from the head. But we are joints of supply. We supply what we've been supplied to each other. We make increase and edify "itself," the body of Christ, in love. By loving each other we are loving ourselves. By taking care of each other we are taking care of ourselves. We can't do it all by ourselves, but if I do my part and you do your part it will all get done. Like that famous coach said, "Just do your job." I don't have to do everything. I'm not the whole quilt. I'm part of a greater whole. I may only have one coat. But I may have a grip of food. So I can share what I do have. I can live out of my abundance. Love is giving everything you have and everything you are, right? You can't give more than you have or more than you are. That's a recipe for disaster. Wearing yourself slap out isn't going to help you OR anybody else. So I guess my message tonight is: Don't try to be the whole quilt. Understand that you are knit together with others. Supply what you can supply--what you have been supplied by God. Give what you've got. Do what you can do. And don't worry about the rest of it. Don't worry about what you can't do. Just do your best and forget the rest!