1Co 12:4-7 and 12-13 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body--whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
The Bible says that when we study God’s creation, we can see His truths. And the more I learn about bees, the more amazed I am about the lessons of creation. Not only are bees astounding creatures that play an important role in our world, we can learn a lot from them about being better members in our society, our families and our churches.
The honeybee is the only member of numerous bee species which produces a product that makes for an entire industry. The honeybee is remarkable not only for the production of such a valuable and life giving confection but also for its organization and industrious pursuit of the task God has put it on earth to perform.
Of course, there are many kinds of bees, many different species, but I think the Lord made the honeybee for a very special purpose. More than just pollinating flowers, which help us grow crops so we can have something to eat. He created them to give us special insight into His nature and what He expects from us. Since only a fraction of the bees in a hive are out collecting pollen, the The rest of the workers take care of the queen, feed the new larvae, manage the storage facilities, and when necessary, defend the hive.
The church should function much like a hive. Every member of a honeybee colony has one main purpose: The preservation, protection, and propagation of the colony. The queen, the worker, and the drone each play a significant role. Co-operation is the key discipline, in a successful bee hive.
Bees produce ten times as much economic value by the vegetables and fruits they pollinate. Bees think their purpose is to make honey. They do not even know what a benefit and a necessity they are to our planet. We too might think our ministry is one thing. But it is not about our singing, preaching, or family discipleship. We must focus on these things that Christ has called us to, but they are not our only purpose. Most of the time, like the bee, we do not even realize the difference we are making in someone’s life by the example we set or some small thing we said.
Members of the Christian church also have one goal: the preservation, protection, and perpetuation of Christianity. What the honeybee accomplishes through instinct, Christians must accomplish through faithfully carrying out Christ's word.
It is the duty of every Christian to set an example that encourages growth, promotes unity, administers justice, and fosters truth, and to win lost souls to Christ. We are responsible in every way imaginable for causing others to notice what we do by the person we have become through our efforts to cause God great joy by the sharing of our love with others as we have experienced it in Jesus Christ.
(I Corinthians 12:27-29) Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts. And yet I will show you the most excellent way.
The Presbyterian Bears
There was a quaint old Presbyterian church located in a wooded grove near A crystal clear stream. Beautiful trees and wildflowers, and abundant wildlife, all around the church. But there was one problem, the church had a steeple, and a swarm of bees had made it their home.
But as the members soon learned this was not such a bad deal as the church members learned to harvest the honey, and the bees never bothered anybody as long as they were left alone. This was a good relationship for the church, and a good home for the bees.
But now another problem came up, a mamma bear and two cubs moved into the wooded area and had begun to raid the hive for the honey, and it became a dangerous matter for the membership. The members began to stay away and the preacher was getting worried, that someone might get hurt.
The preacher then came up with a solution. So on the next occasion when the bears moved in to raid the hive the preacher got the local veterinarian to shoot the bears with a tranquillizer and while they were in the tranquil state, he baptized them and made them church members. After that, the bears, now Presbyterian Church members left the church, moved their membership, and were never seen again.
The moral of the story; If there is a church, there are going to be problems, and with each problem there is a solution.
