Being
The Body
by R. Cody Smith
From
Footsteps August 24, 2004
One thing I enjoy about writing is the way language
continues to morph in order to meet our current needs for expression. I
recently ran across a new verb that has been transforming my life (not
the word itself, but the meaning behind it). Since it may be years
before Funk and Wagnall gets around to it, I have included my own
definition here for your interim use.
one·an·oth·er·ing
(wun-e-nuth’er-ing) v. 1. To fulfill New Testament
Biblical instructions for Christians regarding activities to be done to,
for and with one another. –one·an·oth·ers
n.
In common use (unauthorized?) for several years amongst a
small but growing number of Christians worldwide who have taken to
practicing what they teach, and are usually found oneanothering in house
churches and other small groups settings. Obviously oneanothering is not
a new concept, and we probably wouldn’t need to coin new verbiage,
except that what was originally meant to be a large part of our daily
lives, has become almost a lost art in the church today.
At times I have been confused as to how people
can be so ho-hum about Christianity; at other times I have wondered why
they have come at all, and why they stay when they do. How different
Christianity would be if people came because they were drawn by an
irresistible desire to belong to a selfless brotherhood. Indicated by
the manifest spirit of God moving among a small, but intimate group of
believers. Isn’t this the very dynamic we see at work in the first
century where faith in Christ spread like a virus to all the known
world?
In contrast to our individualistic
culture, I don’t know if it is possible to enjoy an abundant Christian
life alone. It seems more likely that we are not islands, and that we
need one another, and oneanothering in order to be able to realize the
fullness of our relationship to the living God.
While it may be possible to
counterfeit the acts of oneanothering; the true test of their veracity
will always be the underlying motive, love. Which was it again that came
first, the chicken or the egg? Do we begin in love or finish in love,
love grows as we give of ourselves to others, and as we experience
others loving on us. Caution: Love —true love—can quickly become
contagious.
“A new command I give you:
Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By
this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one
another.” Jn 13:34-35
I challenge you to meditate through the following list of
verses and to try and imagine yourself as part of a group of people who
regularly practice the art of oneanothering.
- Loving
one another (John 13:34)
- Forgiving
one another ((Ephesians 4:32)
- Accepting
one another (Romans 15:7)
- Bearing
with one another (Ephesians 4:2
- Being
devoted to one another (Romans 12:10)
- Honoring
one another (Romans 12:10)
- Greeting
one another (2 Corinthians 13:12)
- Being
hospitable to one another (1 Peter 4:9)
- Being
kind and compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32)
- Sharing
with one another (Hebrews 13:16)
- Serving
one another (Galatians 5:13)
- Carrying
one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2)
- Building
up one another (1
Thessalonians 5:11)
- Encouraging
one another daily (Hebrews 3:13)
- Comforting
one another (1 Thessalonians)
- Stimulating
one another to love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24)
- Instructing
one another (Romans 15:14)
- Admonishing
one another (Colossians 3:16)
- Praying
for one another (James 5:16)
- Confessing
your sins to one another (James 5:16)
- Being
of the same mind toward one another (Romans 12:16)
- Submitting
to one another (Ephesians 5:21)
This list was taken
from
"Authentic
Relationships; discover the lost art of oneanothering,"
by Wayne and Clay Jacobsen. If you really value friendship and community,
this book will inspire you with fresh Biblical insights for meaningful interaction
with others in the Body of Christ.
<*{{{><
Currently available
through this link at Amazon.com: $9.59 new (20%
discount) and $6.79 used. ORDER
BOOK NOW
Main
Index More
Subscriber Content