Scripture: Ephesians 4:2-3
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, and bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

Thought for the Day: Remember the Dr. Seuss story about the Sneetches? Some had stars on their bellies, sales others did not. The Sneetches with stars never allowed the Sneetches without stars to participate in their community. If they had a barbecue or a beach party, the non-starred Sneetches were relegated to spectator positions on the fringes. One day, a salesman who was able to put a star on the bare Sneetches’ bellies came to town. Once the starred Sneetches figured out what was happening, they went to see the salesman to have their stars removed. This created a cycle with all the Sneetches constantly going in and out of the machine to have stars applied and removed, applied and removed, until eventually, nobody remembered who originally had a star and who did not. And finally, there was unity and peace–not because everyone looked the same, but because the Sneetches finally rejected the sales pitch that declared one appearance “better” than another. I wonder when we’ll do the same?

Prayer: With or without stars on our bellies, may we find peace through understanding, acceptance, humility and patience—all gifts from God and fruits of the Spirit. Amen.