The Body

I've been thinking and praying and planning about the emphasis I want to have in teaching in this next year at Trinity. Something that has been rolling around in my head and I think it would be a good over-arching theme, at least to guide me, if I don't even tell anyone else, is about being incarnational Christians.

I've been thinking about how Paul describes the Church as the Body of Christ. This is not necessarily profound, but what if God is trying to say to his people: "just embody Me, embody My principles, My life, My love, My character." Maybe this is what being the Body is all about. Somewhere along the way the Church has disconnected herself from the Head of the Church which is Christ and no longer is embodying what He believes and stands for.

This isn't as easy as it is to type. I am becoming more and more aware of how far from the standard of His embodiment I am. I want to be like Christ, but it is not an easy, just like changing my clothes, thing [although Paul's it is!?]. Even though to some famous preachers it seems to be that easy, but in real life its not. Because it is not...
...if I can pray an hour then that makes me embody Christ,
...if I can love the person that just cut me off and cussed me out.
It's can I allow myself to be inconvenienced to meet the need of another person? It's finding a way through the pain of broken relationships to trust again and not fear rejection.
I believe this is Christianity at its best.
I believe this is the society of God - the Kingdom of God that Jesus said he was/is building, if we will only let Him.