The Obsolete Man

“The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect, whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.”

-1 Corinthians 12:21-26

“The Obsolete Man” stars the great Burgess Meredith (in one of his four appearances in the series) as a librarian in a society whose authoritarian government has banned books and religion. With no books, there is no need for librarians. So Meredith’s character, Romney Wordsworth, is declared obsolete and sentenced to death.

He arranges for his execution—a bomb in his apartment—to be televised, then invites the Chancellor who condemned him to visit for a final conversation on the evening of his death. Much of the episode unfolds as a confrontation between the two men over human dignity, faith, and the state’s authority to decide whose life has value.

It would be easy for this devotion to focus on a world where religion has been outlawed and encourage everyone to keep the faith. But I think another approach might be more helpful. The question that I want to invite you to ponder is: Who gets to decide if and when someone no longer matters? What happens when we reduce people to their productivity, wealth, or influence?

I’ve spoken with too many people wrestling with this question over my almost two decades of ministry to treat it as purely speculative. It’s a question uttered by people who are newly retired, new empty nesters, and people facing a change in their physical abilities due to illness or accident. Beneath their different circumstances is a familiar fear: “If I can no longer be who I’ve understood myself to be, do I still matter?”

Paul gives us a way to answer that question when he describes the church as a body. Its members have diverse gifts, talents, and abilities, and they belong to one another. Notice that Paul calls the members who seem weaker indispensable. Our assessments of one another’s importance are not always trustworthy.

This can be difficult to accept for ourselves. We’re accustomed to being needed. We are used to having something to offer. Receiving care can feel uncomfortable. But Paul describes a community where suffering and rejoicing are shared. Our place in the Body of Christ doesn’t disappear when our needs or abilities change.

The episode ends with the Chancellor himself declared obsolete after revealing his fear and pleading for his life during the televised execution. The system he served turns on him. It’s a tempting moment to enjoy. He had it coming, right?

But the gospel asks something harder of us. Our resistance to dehumanization must include people who would dehumanize us. If the gospel isn’t truly good news for everybody, even those who oppose us, then it is no good news at all. We can hold someone accountable without deciding that their life no longer matters.

Perhaps today we can examine the measures we use for ourselves and others. Can we accept care without feeling that we’ve lost our worth? Can we recognize God’s image in someone whose actions we oppose?

There are no obsolete people in the body of Christ. That includes you. It also includes the person you’d rather leave out.

Rev. Ryan Young