Unique

  

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As a medical journalist, many years ago I wrote an article on the healing properties of rain forest plants and trees. I interviewed a CDC researcher in charge of sending teams to the Amazonian rain forest to collect samples and bring them back to the lab, where they would be analyzed for their potential role as pharmaceuticals.

One such expedition had the scientists truly excited, as they discovered that a sample of bark from a particular tree was extremely effective in neutralizing the HIV virus causing AIDS, without any apparent toxicity to human cells. At that time, there were very few treatment options for AIDS, so they sent a team back to collect more bark from that tree in hopes of producing an anti-HIV medicine.

But to their dismay, upon arrival at their previous collection site along the Amazon River, they found that the particular tree from which they had sampled the bark had been cut down by a logger. The felled tree had been hauled away, but the remains of the stump were surrounded by trees of the same species. In hopes that the healing tree’s neighbors would have similar properties, the team harvested bark from each of these, but to no avail. None of these samples proved to be effective against AIDS, much to the disappointment of not only the scientists, but to all the patients awaiting a cure.

Thinking back on these events reminds me of how everything God created is unique, and beautiful in its time (Ecclesiastes 3:11). No two snowflakes have the same design. No two organisms share identical DNA sequences unless they arise from the same parent cell; and no two humans are the same. Even identical twins, with similar genetic structure because of their origin from a single fertilized egg, have different fingerprints. As the twins grow, they become more divergent from one another in appearance, personality, intelligence and abilities because of varying environmental and interpersonal exposures.

As our Creator (Genesis 1:1; John 1:1-3) and Intelligent Designer, God made everything and everyone to be unique. He knew the details of His blueprint for each of us before we were even conceived (Psalm 139:13-16), and He knew the plans He had for each of us from before the beginning of time (Jeremiah 29:11). We are His workmanship, individually created for His divine purpose (Ephesians 2:10).

In His omniscience (Psalm 139:1-6), He knew which of us would be saved by trusting in the death, burial and resurrection of His Son (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6). He equips every believer with a unique combination of spiritual gifts, natural abilities, talents and attributes, and He places each of us in a unique sphere of influence to use these to bring souls to Him and to edify one another (1 Corinthians 14:1,12; Galatians 5:22-23; Romans 12:4-8).

Under Holy Spirit inspiration, the apostle Paul compared the church, or called-out assembly of believers, to the human body. Each member is important and essential to the well-being of the body of Christ as a whole and must be used as God intended. The eye is of no use for hearing, nor the ear for seeing. Christ is the singular Head of the body, and each member serves a needed function (1 Corinthians 12).

The human body cannot function without its individual limbs, organs, bones, muscles and other parts visible to the naked eye. Its specialized cells comprising each organ and system are also vital for human life, as are the cellular components like the mitochondria needed for energy production and the ribosomes that govern protein synthesis.

Just as the human body dies if the head is removed, the church would not exist apart from Christ, the Head (Ephesians 5:23) and Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4). The church cannot function optimally without pastors and preachers (undershepherds; 1 Timothy 3:1), deacons, teachers, musicians, ushers, greeters, nor without those who are less visible, such as administrators, hospitality planners, nursery workers, grounds and building maintenance, and security.

But within each category of servers, each member is unique. Every preacher brings to his sermon the benefit of his unique experiences, perspective, training, and abilities, as does every teacher to their class. Every pastor, deacon, counselor and mentor has gone through specific trials that God allowed into their life to provide them with empathy and experience to help others going through similar ordeals (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). Every singer has a unique voice, the composite of their anatomy, vocal tract, resonance spaces, and training, colored by their emotional and spiritual makeup, enabling them to reach people responding to varying musical styles.

Provided each of these church members is saved and doctrinally sound, and that God has equipped them for a particular role, and that they are willing to commit to preparation and faithfulness with the motive of glorifying Jesus Christ (Colossians 3:23), each is of great value to the work of the church. This includes evangelism to save souls; edifying the believer through preaching and teaching; music to prepare the heart for worship; and fellowship with the brethren so that we can bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2).

But a standard of excellence and suitability should be required for every act of service. It would make no sense to allow a person with Tourette’s syndrome to be a preacher or teacher, a person once convicted of embezzlement to be treasurer, a tone-deaf person to sing special music, or someone with hepatitis to serve food.  Service opportunities should be available for every member of the body of Christ, but these should be tailored to their unique God-given abilities and experience.

Even if a local church body is blessed to have many members gifted for a specific area of service, it would be detrimental to those members and to the church as a whole to restrict their opportunities to serve. Corporate worship, teaching and fellowship time should not be dominated by a single individual but should be apportioned among those God has placed there for His specific purpose. Each member who is qualified based on their sincere faith, sound doctrine, Christ-honoring motivation and Spirit-led gifts should be encouraged to grow where God has planted them (Jeremiah 12:2), for each can use their unique abilities to reach those souls that other members could not.

If such individuals are denied service opportunities, the church may discover too late that they are missing when needed the most. What a tragedy it would be for souls to be lost because that unique believer who could have spoken to their heart is no longer able to do so, whether through discouragement, attrition, or even death. May our churches appreciate and utilize the unique position God gave each believer, before they disappear like the unique Amazonian tree that could have saved many lives!

Copyright 2025 Laurie Collett