The Church is not an efficient organisation it is a loving, loyal, grace-filled family like the Trinity. It is not a formal institution but a living, breathing, healthy body with the blood of Jesus flowing through its veins.

"The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ [comprising Jews, Gentiles, rich, poor, educated, illiterate; God's new ethnic group, free from all racism] … If the foot says, 'I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,' that does not make it any less a part of the body [every member is needed and essential; every member belongs; every member has a job to do and a part to play] … But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it [God chooses my church and my role and changing churches requires God's specific guidance] … The eye can never say to the hand, 'I don’t need you.' [independent action should be unthinkable; no self-sufficiency entertained] … "

"In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. And the parts we regard as less honourable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen … This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honoured, all the parts are glad. All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it."

This last section is amazingly significant. It reveals just how differently Jesus views his church from the way its members are prone to view her. It shows us how Jesus wants us to function. Those we might see as weak and unimportant, Jesus sees as the complete opposite. We are all on a journey and we are to strengthen the weak not criticize them. We are to create harmony and guard our unity. We are to honour other members, take care of them, cover their failings with love and protect them, just as if they were part of our own body, which of course they are! We are to suffer with those who are suffering and celebrate one another's victories. All this is the complete opposite of self-reliant, individualistic Christianity.

A word of comfort for those who have "earnestly desired" the gift of tongues but never received it: "Do we all have the ability to speak in unknown languages? Do we all have the ability to interpret unknown languages? Of course not!" (1 Cor. 12:12-31).