When I read chapter 12 I see two things that would benefit every body of believers I have ever been part of.
1. Miraculous gifts of the spirit, like healing and words of knowledge and, well, miracles. I am sometimes puzzled and even upset at God for not bestowing these more often. In my wisdom God's banquet table would be better attended if it offered more generous helpings of these delicacies. On second thought, maybe He is less interested in Rice Christians (a term for Asians came to church because the missionaries served rice, not to hear the message) and more interested in disciples of faith and love. And I have to own some responsibility of readiness: why should God trust me with the gift of physical healing when I am lukewarm in the exercise of my common gift of healing by listening?
2. Embracing the concept of universal, mutual need. At Gospelfest we sang, "I need you, you need me, we're all a part of his body. We belong to each other, I need you to survive." Me (the mouth?) really believing I need the pancreas, or the middle toe. Actually I can understand that concept more easily than I can understand needing someone who according to my limited anatomical knowledge of the body seems more like an appendix. They do nothing, just get inflamed and blow up and spread bile and infection. O great physician, do us all a favor - cut them out!
Gosh, I wonder what that "excellent way" is that Paul will tell us about in Chapter 13?
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