Building up the body!

James Cathcart February 13, 2026 1 0

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Ephesians 4: 11-16 (NIV-UK)

11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

The way today’s passage talks about speaking the truth makes it sound like a magic spell that will bind us bodily to each other. I understand of course that Paul is using a metaphor to make his point, and doing a pretty good job of it, but I can’t escape the feeling of those magic words.

Because words are their own kind of magic when spoken aloud. The Bible starts with the story of the power of God’s words to create and then goes on, again and again throughout it to show how speaking the truth aloud whether you are divine or human, leads to change and lets you be salt and light in even the dark and dank corners of the world.

This letter calls its recipients to speak truth in love. We may not be its original recipients but we can still take on that advice. As we journey out from our time round the table and head off into the world beyond we can bring this power into our missions both large and small, we can bring truth and love. We can use the power of our voices for God’s goodness and perhaps we too will grow together through it.

Prayer:

Dear God

You send us into your world with a great mission

Lend us the words we need to speak truth to power

Be our strength when our words are hard to find

Help us love one another and grow into one community for you

Amen