1 Cor 12 and Romans 12 remind us that the body of Christ is made up of different members, each individual forming an important part of the whole. People come, as they say, in all shapes and sizes.
So do parsnips!
This was Stephen’s first attempt at growing parsnips, and certainly did not look like the conventionally sized, uniformly shaped parsnips supermarkets churn out. But I can confirm that it tasted like a parsnip and was perfectly edible!
It’s good to remember that God values us all as individuals and doesn’t make us conform to a particular mould. J. B. Phillips paraphrases Rom 12:2 in this way: ‘Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity.‘
There is room in God’s kingdom for all kinds of people, all different personalities, shapes, sizes and giftings. We may look askance at some people because they look ‘different’ or because they act in ways we personally don’t understand, but God has put each part of the body where He wants it (1 Cor 12:18). Let’s be welcoming to all and considerate of all.