.........UNITY........
HOW DO WE ACT TOWARDS OTHER THAT ARE DIFFERENT FROM US? DO WE SEE HOW THEY FIT AND COMPLEMENT US AND MAKE US MORE COMPETE, OR DO WE SAY THEY NEED TO GO BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT JUST LIKE US?
EPHESIANS 4:11-16
11. And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12. For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13. Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14. That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15. But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
16. From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

JESUS IS THE HEAD AND WE ARE THE BODY. WE ALL ARE DIFFERENT BUT MAKE UP THE COMPLETE BODY. ON A BODY THE NOSE IS DIFFERENT FROM THE MOUTH, HOWEVER THEY BOTH ARE NEEDED. THEY ARE DIFFERENT IN LOOKS AND FUNCTION. PEOPLE ARE THAT WAY ALSO. EACH OF US IS GIFTED FOR A CERTAIN TASK. NOT EVERYONE HAS TO BE JUST LIKE YOU OR ME. WE MUST HELP SUPPLY EACH OTHER IN THE BODY JUST AS THE ARTERY SYSTEM IN OUR PHYSICAL BODY MOVES NUTRIENTS AND OXYGEN AND FUEL TO ALL THE PARTS OF OUR BODY. ALL THE MUSCLES, BONES, TENDONS, AND JOINTS WORK TO THE BENEFIT OF THE WHOLE BODY. WHEN WE REJECT OTHER FOR WHAT EVER REASON WE ISOLATE OURSELVES FROM THE MINISTRY AND GIFT THAT THEY BRING TO THE BODY. WE THEN CAN NOT FUNCTION AS WE SHOULD, AND BECOME A USELESS JOINT. WE BECOME LIKE AN ARTHRITIC JOINT ALL BENT AND TWISTED AND UNABLE TO DO AND FUNCTION AS WE SHOULD.

ARNOLD PRATER HAS SOME GREAT BOOKS OUT THERE. IN ONE OF HIS BOOKS HE MAKES PARABLES OUT OF BIBLE TEACHINGS. HE TOOK THIS SET OF SCRIPTURES AND CAME UP WITH THIS PARABLE.
ONCE UPON A TIME, HE SAYS ALMOST EVERYBODY WAS AN EAR. ALL THE EARS HAD A CONVENTION AND WERE HAVING A WONDERFUL TIME WHEN A NOSE AND A MOUTH WALKED IN, SAT DOWN ON THE BACK ROW, AND WERE VERY QUIET. BUT SOON THE SARGENT-AT-ARMS WALKED OVER AND TOSSED THEM OUT BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT EARS. BUT AFTER A WHILE THE CONVENTION HALL CAUGHT FIRE AND DESTROYED ALL THE EARS BECAUSE NO NOSES WERE THERE TO SMELL THE SMOKE AND NO MOUTHS WERE THERE TO WARN THEM THE PLACE WAS ON FIRE.

A PERSON THAT LOSES THE SENSE OF SMELL SUFFERS. A PERSON THAT LOSES HIS OR HER SIGHT HAS A MUCH DIFFERENT VIEW POINT. THE SAME IS TRUE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE BODY OF CHRIST, THE CHURCH. EVERYONE OF US IS ESSENTIAL. EVERYONE IS INDISPENSABLE.