Every Man In His Place

“Let all things be done decently and in order.” —1 Corinthians 14:40

My wife has our kitchen well organized.  Nothing is “out-of-place.” There is a specific place for the spices, towels, cereal, flying pans, silverware, etc.  It would be total confusion if each item was not in its specific location.

While reading Numbers chapter two this week I was impressed by the organization of how the tribes of Israel encamped around the tabernacle.  Considering there were over a million people, it would have been very confusing when Israel stopped to camp in the wilderness. But God, being a God of order, instructed each tribe exactly where they were to camp in relation to the tabernacle. On the east side of the tabernacle the tribes of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun set up camp. On the south side were the tribes of Reuben, Simeon, and Gad. On the west side camped the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh and Benjamin. Then on the north side God put the tribes of Dan, Asher, and Naphtali. Every man in every tribe knew exactly where his place was. Now that is being organized.

David said of his human body, “I am fearfully and wonderful made” (Ps. 139:14).  The human body is a divine miracle. It was not put together in a haphazard way.  The eyes, ears, mouth are exactly where they function best. Can you imagine the problems you would have if your nose was turned up instead of down.  Every time it rained, your nose would fill with water and you’d drown. And, how strange it would be if your mouth was located where your armpit is!  Aren’t you glad God put you together the way He did?

The same is true in the body of Christ (a picture of the local church).  God has “assembled” it so every member has a specific place and function. 1 Corinthians 12:18 says, “God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.”  If you are saved, God has placed you in the body of Christ exactly where He wants you (1 Cor. 12:12-27). You may be a foot, or a hand, or an eye, or an ear, etc.  You have a function in the body of Christ. If you are a “foot” you cannot do the job of the “ear.”

God is not the author of confusion (1 Cor. 14:33). Confusion results when God’s order is not observed.  Since God has a specific place of service for each Christian in the body of Christ, it is our responsibility to recognize where God has placed us and do our job. Do you know your place in the body? Are you doing your job?  When one body part fails to function, it handicaps the efficiency of the whole body.

Let’s work together and get the job done God has placed us to do.