There’s a story of how Menenius Agrippa, a famous Roman consul and general, once recounted a fable in an attempt to appease an insurrection of the Roman commoners. The issue was that people were growing agitated and angry at the continuous raising of taxes and decided enough was enough. Agrippa then told them the story of the “Belly and the Members” as it is now known. The fable goes that once upon a time, all the limbs of a man’s body became disgusted with the service they had to render to the belly. The feet and legs complained about how they had to carry the belly around. The hands complained about how they had to bring the food to the belly. The mouth complained that it had to chew the food for the belly. Every other body part made similar claims and complaints against the belly.
Once they finished stating their grievances, they all agreed they would do nothing more for the belly. However, shortly after they stopped working together, they found themselves starved and growing weak. Upon seeing this, they realized that they needed to work together for the greater good of the body. Agrippa then connected the story to them and told them that all ranks and states depended on one another, and they would all fall unless they all worked together. In the end, they all came together.
This story is a reminder of how scripture tells us that every believer has a purpose and plays a part in the body of Christ. God has gifted every one of us with gifts, talents, and resources to carry out His will. When we come together with our fellow brothers, under the headship of Christ, we strengthen each other and make a significant impact in the world.
Daily Directive:
Answer and Journal the Following
Read:
1 Corinthians 12:12-14
12 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. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves[a] or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. 14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many.
Pray:
Pray and ask God to help you realize the importance of a brotherhood and how to connect to one.
Meditate / Make It Real:
When do you plan on gathering with other men to strengthen each other? What can you contribute to others?
Share / Show:
Share what you’ve learned with someone else.
