The Importance of Unity

Read Ephesians 4:1-13

Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. try always to be led along together by the Holy spirit, and so be at peace with one another.

We are all parts of one body, we have the same Spirit, and we have all been called to the same glorious future. For us there is only one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and we all have the same God and Father, who is over us all and in us all. However, Christ has given each of us special abilities - whatever he wants us to have out of his rich storehouse of gifts.

Ephesians 4: 2-7 (TLB)

Just as there are many parts to our bodies, so it is with Christ's body. We are all parts of it, and it takes every one of us to make it complete, for we each have different work to do. So we belong to each other, and each needs all the others. Romans 12: 4-5 (TLB)

Samuel Yali Ituma lives in Ebonyi, Nigeria. Many years ago, his soccer team was down 3-0 at the end of the first half. As they gathered around the coach for halftime, they blamed one another for the errors that had led the rival team to score. Their coach ignored their complaints and handed a sweeping broom made from a bundle of twigs to their team captain and told him to break it. They all watched with keen interest as this guy whom they all respected tried and tried to break the broom but could not even bend it. He ultimately handed it back intact. Looking around at each of them, their coach explained that this was the power of unity. He encouraged them to work together, and in the second half they played with renewed team spirit, scored five goals, and won the game.

Samuel thinks the Holy Spirit wants to teach us a similar lesson. Ephesians 4:6 reminds us that there is "one God and Father of all." God wants all believers to unite as one. We're all children of God. Despite our differences, Christians can and should work together to spread the good news.

Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to set aside our differences and work with Christians around the world, worshiping, serving, and glorifying You, in Jesus' name. Amen.