For by the grace given to me, 

I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think. 

Instead, 

think sensibly, 

as God has distributed a measure of faith to each one. 

Now as we have many parts in one body...

Romans 12:3-4 CSB

Paul is telling people to be humble in the way they see themselves, telling us that.

It's a tricky thing to do while being humble!

He manages to do that by starting with the grace that's been extended to himself. He must meet people who he persecuted, or family members, reminders of the grace he has received. 

And he bookends this with placing us in the body, that we're part of everyone else. There's no room for pride when we need one another, when were joined to one another. 

This week I am in the classroom with people 1/3 of my age, being taught by people 1/2 my age...but we're part of the body, some exercising their teaching gifts, the rest of us learning. 

When I see myself as part of a body it changes things. Paul asks us to consider ourselves, to see ourselves in the light of Grace (chosen & dearly loved) and in the light of faith (in need of a saviour to restore us to God), and living that out in a this metaphor of the body, interconnected.

#Godsgym