“My thoughts are a symphony;
My lines of verse: pure poetry;
But my deeds and utterances—oh so sloppy.
Is that a deal-breaker for you?”

By: ElRoyPoet, 2021

Unity requires effort. We are united by our common primary identity as children of God and our commitment to the truths of the restored gospel. In turn, our love of God and our discipleship of Jesus Christ generate genuine concern for others. We value the kaleidoscope of others’ characteristics, perspectives, and talents.
If we are unable to place our discipleship to Jesus Christ above personal interests and viewpoints, we should re-examine our priorities and change.
We might be inclined to say, “Of course we can have unity—if only you would agree with me!” A better approach is to ask, “What can I do to foster unity? How can I respond to help this person draw closer to Christ? What can I do to lessen contention and to build a compassionate and caring Church community?”
When love of Christ envelops our lives, we approach disagreements with meekness, patience, and kindness. We worry less about our own sensitivities and more about our neighbor’s. We seek to moderate and unify. We do not engage in “doubtful disputations,” judge those with whom we disagree, or try to cause them to stumble. Instead, we assume that those with whom we disagree are doing the best they can with the life experiences they have. By: Dale G. Renlund

“Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things and center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart.” Bible, Philippians 4:8