Being the Body of Christ

November 11, 2024 / by Adam Garey

Mayo Clinic hospitals have what’s called an IV Team. This is a group of nurses who do nothing but start IVs in patients.

Someone needs a new IV? The IV Team nurse goes straight to the room to perform the procedure. Starting an IV can be tricky. Some patients’ veins are hidden and hard to find. Others move around, so it’s difficult for the needle to penetrate the vein. If an IV start doesn’t go well the first time, the second and third tries add discomfort for the patient and increase risk of bleeding or infection. So Mayo created this team, giving them specialized training and abundant experience in starting IVs.

There are of course also bedside nurses, occupational therapists, respiratory therapists, physicians, physical therapists, patient care assistants, transporters, schedulers, and many others roles. All members of Mayo hospital operations, working together for the wellness of the patient. This summer, I experienced God’s provision of this diverse and skilled care team to see me through a complicated heart surgery, so I am grateful for the IV Team and everyone else at Mayo Clinic who cared for me.

Paul reveals God’s provision of the body of Christ in 1 Corinthians. He makes clear that God has formed each of us with specific talents. Since our time of salvation, the Holy Spirit has shared gifts that make us particularly useful. Our union with Christ is personal, unique, and complementary to the others in the body. Some of us can learn, preach, and teach the Word of God very well. Others of us are seemingly able to connect with anyone and fearlessly share the good news of Jesus. Some of us are good at taking care of physical or financial matters. Some are good at coordinating or hosting meals. Too many roles in the body of Christ to list here.

Just as the caregivers on the IV Team are specifically appointed to meet a particular medical procedure, we are each called to live out a specific role within the body of Christ. We work together to meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the saints around us (Phil 4:19) as we walk in a broken world. The members of the body of Christ are also a collective light in the world (Phil 2:12-16), drawing people to ultimate healing available through our Lord and Savior Jesus. Whatever God has appointed each of us to do, let us pursue it with urgency and skill like the IV Team, and may His glory abound!

Adam and his wife, Danielle, have four adult children and have attended East White Oak since 2005. Adam has served as both an elder and a deacon. He co-led the Fellowship 13 ABF for six years and has served on three pastoral search teams.