"THERE ARE PARTS of a ship which taken by themselves, would sink. The engine would sink. The propeller would sink. But when the parts of a ship are built together, they float. So with the events of my life. Some have been tragic. Some have been happy. But when they are built together, they form a craft that floats and is going someplace. And I am comforted." -Ralph W. Sockman.

Like the ship that floats as a whole, so the various members of our body make up one human capable of achieving great heights and sinking to the depths of despair. Paul shows how these many members such as eyes, ears, hands and feet all go to make up one body. He shows how ridiculous it would be if the whole body was an eye; so with the ship. If it was only an engine it would sink to the bottom.

We need to remember that as our bodies are many members yet one body all working and co-operating together, so the events of our lives, each different, go to make up the whole. We need balance. If our whole lives were spent working or sleeping it would indeed be dull. If they were spent eating, we might all weigh 500 pounds. The past year was made up of many different events which add up to one year's experience. Putting it all together, did we sink or float? Was there balance? How much of the past year was devoted to God? Did we move closer to Him or further away?

Last year we all ate and slept, worked and played. In spite of the fact that we all did all of these things, when we add up last year's total, we will all get different answers because we did each of these things in varying degrees. Last year's score has been tallied and entered into God's record book. We cannot change it now. What we can do is improve by doing better this year. To do this, we must do differently than we did last year. Perhaps what we need to do is re-distribute the load to get better balance. A large ship can carry a huge cargo if it is properly placed but if it is all put on one side, it can cause the ship to list, turn over, and sink. So with our lives, we need to distribute our load, make sure we are stocking up on the right things and putting them in the proper places. Does God get the best we have to offer or what's left over at the end of the day? Out of our 24 hour day, how much do we give to God? Do we fill the odd moment during the day with prayer to Him? What are we seeking first? The kingdom of God and His righteousness or all the things the Gentiles seek?

If we have truly placed our lives in God's hands, then all things are working together for our good and "whatsoever we do, we do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord we shall receive the reward of the inheritance; for we serve the Lord Christ."