The Strength of Community

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 4

When I lived in Norman I bought a mountain bike for my birthday one year.  During the warm weather months, I rode it to church as much as possible.  I figured that accomplished two things.  First, it saved on gas, and second, it was good exercise.  Being a mountain bike was not that important riding around Norman.  But I liked it because I could jump curbs and cut through the parks without worrying about messing it up.  After jumping one curb, flying through the air, and landing on the concrete street with the weight of my 180 pounds slamming down on the rear tire.  (“Flying through the air” is an exaggeration for illustration purposes and “180 pounds” is an underestimation for vanity purposes), I realized how amazing bike wheels are.   

Despite my abuse and heft, the rear rim was not crushed. The thing is, the spokes, by themselves, can easily be bent or broken, but they aren’t because the synergy of all the spokes together provides the strength needed to withstand any blows they might encounter. 

I think the church is supposed to be something like that bike wheel.  By ourselves, the blows inflicted by this life, the world, and the devil would crush us and break us.  But when each member bears part of the burden we withstand the blows.  And because we endure the blows, we can keep moving in a positive direction.  As spokes in the bicycle wheel, we are to live in unity with each other for the sake of the progress of the Kingdom.