Ordinary Times

January 13, 2022

Scripture Reading:
1 Corinthians 12:12-31a

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. –1 Corinthians 12:12-13, 27-31a

Children’s Hospital in Oklahoma City was a decrepit place when I arrived to work there in 1974. That is, the building and facilities were dilapidated. I was amazed at the quality of work accomplished by a very dedicated staff who cared about children—all children. They provided routine care for the poorest of the poor up to state-of-the-art lifesaving care for any child that needed it within the limitations of its resources. The state legislature could not find the money to improve the facilities until they remembered that the two-cent sales tax could only be used by the Department of Public Welfare. So, they transferred the Children’s hospital to DPW and said fix it, and Lloyd Rader did. He was a powerful man, scary even, but he knew how to get things done.

Much of the social work staff at the hospital left with the transfer to DPW. I was a child welfare supervisor in Payne County and was transferred to supervise social workers at Children’s Hospital. Trailers were set up to house much of the administrative staff while rebuilding was completed. The social work staff officed at the end of a wide hallway. My boss was a wonderful gentleman. Each morning he came by our “office” and emptied all the mouse traps in our desks before we began work. I remember those days when I drive by the beautiful facility in its place today and hear about their various services and accomplishments. Those changes happened because some people saw a need, others joined them, and a state-of-the-art facility became a reality.

As the Body of Christ, we are called to work together for the well-being of all God’s children, whether caring for the sick or assuring that all people have the necessities of life. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us*.

Prayer: Help us see needs and meet them. Amen.

*Derived from Philippians 4:13

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.