I am unsure what I did to it, but my left thumb has caused me severe pain lately. It first started experiencing discomfort in 2020 during Covid. At the time, I was not able to get to the doctor easily, and I figured it would get better. Unfortunately, it did not. With every passing month, the pain has increased incrementally.

When it first started hurting, I thought, “Who cares? It is only my left thumb, and I barely use it.”

What I have discovered is how much I use that single finger. Several times a day, I grab something, and the pain shoots up my arm. If it is not aching, I find I am not able to grip anything tightly. Again and Again, I struggle because of that sore thumb.

Frequently, we do not know the importance of something until it is unable to function correctly. This is true of the human body and the body of Christ.

Whenever someone is missing from their role in the Church, everyone suffers, even if they think their service is unimportant. The people who cook for events, clean each week, greet everyone who attends, help with communion, keep the coffee tables ready, and a hundred other small things are all significant.

The body needs every part to fulfill its role and function properly – so does the Church. There are no unimportant parts.