The pastor cups the bread in his hands when he tells us this: A single loaf of bread contains approximately 23,810 tiny grains of wheat. And those grains of wheat come from 63 million acres in the United States each year.

“I wonder, if any of those grains of wheat feels insignificant,” he asks.

Would anyone notice if the loaf contained only 23,809 grains of wheat — instead of 23,810?

What is the significance of one?

The pastor rips the golden loaf in half, and holds the bread high, toward heaven, with thanks. He speaks words that Jesus spoke: “This is my body, which is given for you.”

The worship leader cues up music, and we shuffle forward, all of us hungry beggars in need of grace, beggars who know where the feast is. We receive torn loaves, 23,810 grains of wheat, morsels of incomparable grace.

Every grain, significant.

Every person, significant.

I rip deep into the loaf, and partake. Jesus is more than a lofty theology, a nice story, a fine philosopher, a good teacher. He is Body, who reaches down and touches us. At the table, I taste forgiveness. I need every grain I can get.

One by one, we take our turns at the loaf, and return to our seats, somehow feeling stronger in spirit, having been touched by something holy — God having come down to sinners-made-saints.

I know I will starve without this. I need as much of Christ as He’ll give. I marvel at His extravagant generosity.

And this world, is a world in need. The world needs every hand, every foot, and every voice of every believer who has tasted the generosity of Christ’s grace and forgiveness. Broken people are begging to hear about wholeness. The whole world could know what freedom tastes like, and we have been equipped to share the Good News:

Christ is the only thing that will ever satisfy the hunger of the world. 

Every grain is significant.

Every part of every loaf, every part of every body, matters.

The bread matters because of Christ.

I matter, for the same reason — because of Christ.

And friend, so do you.

“Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.” 1 Corinthians 10:17

“Everyone has a unique role to fill in the world and is important in some respect. Everyone, including and especially you, is indispensable.” – Nathaniel Hawthorne