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I Love Poop!
I am quite sure that you have never read this in a church bulletin before. In
times past, such a mention of such would cause people to swoon and be embarrassed.
This is supposed to be a private matter and not out there for the world to see
or hear about. Now if you have been paying attention to some of the infomercials
out there recently there are several which discuss poop. Of course they are
trying to sell you a product, but that does not invalidate their message that
poop is necessary for life.
In my recent hospital stay, I heard this expression from more than one nurse
and nurse’s aide. When you learn the reason, we can quickly see why they
say such a thing.
The human body has several parts and systems that work in unison and harmony.
When one of those parts does not work properly, it has an adverse effect upon
the other parts of the body. While we consider the pulmonary, circulatory and
nervous systems to be important, the digestive system is no less important.
Any one of these systems failing means death for the body. In our case, poop
is a natural function that shows the digestive system is working properly. I
would not have been released from the hospital until all systems were working
properly and functioning as they were designed to function.
It might seem strange that people get excited over poop, but to them, this shows
them the patient is healthy and on the right track to recovery. I know others
have had similar experience with their medical team members and I'm sure at
least one of those team members likes to discuss poop on a regular basis.
There are some spiritual applications we can make to this scenario.
First, as we must learn that every part of the body is important, we must know
that none are more important than the others. They have to work together in
order for the body to function as it should. There are many false teachers who
make the claim that we can be saved by "faith only". Even though the
Bible contradicts such a statement in James 2:24, so many want to place some
elements as more important than others and seek to live accordingly. But James
2:26 reads: "For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith
without works is dead". Your heart may be beating, and that is important,
but if you are not pooping, you will die. What is given to us in God's word
is all necessary, and anyone who tells us otherwise is a false teacher. Failing
to obey any command is called sin in the Bible, and sin keeps us out of heaven.
Second, the analogy Paul used in 1 Corinthians 12 about the body fits our narrative.
Paul described the many members, yet all part of the same body. Paul was talking
about the importance of the church and our dependence upon each other. Paul
described that even though some parts of the body were more private, they were
still a vital part of the body. Every member is vital to the growth of the body
and its continuation. We cannot say that just because you are not a preacher
you have little value. I have repeated often that we are preachers by our very
existence as we preach a lesson anytime we make contact with anyone. What kind
of lesson you preach by your actions and behavior is up to you, but you are
still teaching by example. So, we must encourage you to pay attention to the
example you are setting, and adjust your ways so that you can be a guiding light
to those of the world.
In the hospital there were many different people working as a team to reach
a common goal; my recovery. There were people from different departments who
gave me breathing treatments, drew blood, cleaned me up, fed me, and made sure
that I was receiving the best treatment. I had people from different departments
giving me do's and don’ts. I had nutritionists telling me what was good
for me and what was not healthy. In all, there were more than sixty people who
brought me the care and instructions I need to continue living in this world.
I will see more as I go through the follow-up processes.
When you think about it, the church is to function in the same way. There are
many advisers telling us what is good for our spiritual health. We should have
the sense to listen to them and heed their advice.
These people came from all over the world representing the full spectrum of
humanity, yet when they worked on a common goal, their actions were like a well-timed
machine or team. I was truly blessed to have the best of their fields working
for me. The church offers to each of us that support and maintenance we need
to be successful by reaching heaven. Remember, we are here for each other, take
advantage of those who want to help you.
By Carey Scott
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