A Patchwork Project

Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:20–27

“Oh, Mom!” Ryleigh exclaimed as she looked through a box of scrap material. “Just look at this gorgeous blue satin!”

“It’s very pretty,” Mom agreed.

Ryleigh sighed. “I wish I could use it for something, but there’s not enough material—only a few scraps.” Mom picked a scrap of satin out of the box and smiled.

A few weeks later, on Ryleigh’s birthday, her mom gave her a package. Ryleigh eagerly tore off the wrapping and squealed with delight at what she found—a beautiful handmade patchwork pillow. “Oh, Mom!” she said, running her hand along the fabric. “You used that pretty blue satin for some of the pieces on this pillow. I love it!”

“I could see how much you liked that material,” said Mom, “so I used it along with some other pieces I found in that box for a pillow for your bed.”

“What a great idea!” said Ryleigh. “Those scrap pieces were too small to be of much use by themselves, but together they make a beautiful pillow!”

“Right,” said Mom. “And you know what? While I was making that pillow, I realized God has a patchwork project He’s working on too.”

“He does? What is it?” asked Ryleigh.

“His church!” replied Mom. “It’s made up of Christians who are all different from each other.”

“Yeah,” said Ryleigh. “Some are young and some are old, some are rich and some are poor, some can sing and some . . . like me . . . can’t!” She grinned. “But I’m a good listener. That’s important too!”

“Yes, it is,” said Mom. “We all have different abilities and come from different walks of life, but God sews us together as the body of Christ—His church. We need each other. Some Christians try to make it on their own without going to church or making Christian friends. That’s not a good idea. As we meet with other Christians to learn about Jesus and work together, He makes us into a beautiful finished product.”

Ryleigh looked at her pillow and smiled. “The next time I feel like a small, useless scrap, I’ll remember that I’m an important part of God’s beautiful patchwork project.”

How About You?

Are you a Christian? Then you’re an important part of Christ’s “body”—the church. As the body of Christ, those in the church teach and encourage one another and show Jesus’ love to the world. So don’t be a loner. No matter how unimportant you may feel, God has a special place for you in His beautiful patchwork project!

Today’s Key Verse:
1 Corinthians 12:27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. (NIV)

Today’s Key Thought:

Christians need each other