Summary: "Did you already fix that one?" asked Kyle, pointing at a large clock standing on the counter. He always enjoyed visiting Uncle Ramon's shop--especially when his uncle was working on a clock. "That one seems to be ticking all right," Kyle added. Uncle Ramon laughed pleasantly. "Yes," he agreed, "but that's all it's doing." Kyle looked at the clock more closely. "Oh--it doesn't have any hands on it," he remarked, feeling foolish for not having noticed that. "No, it doesn't." Uncle Ramon shook his head. "So even though the clock is ticking, it isn't doing its job and giving the correct time, is it?" "Not without the hands it isn't," Kyle agreed. "What happened to them?" "I have them right here, and I'll put them back on. But first I want to use this clock as an illustration when I teach my Sunday school class tomorrow," Uncle Ramon replied. Kyle grinned, remembering when his uncle had been his Sunday school teacher. "So you still use clocks as illustrations," said Kyle. "What does this one illustrate?" "Well, the inside of a clock has lots of different parts, and each one is needed," replied Uncle Ramon. "But you can have all of those inside parts clean and running good, and the clock still doesn't give you the time. Or . . ." Uncle Ramon held up the clock hands. "You can pick up the hands or face of the clock and look at them closely, but you won't learn the time of day that way, either." "To tell time, all the parts have to work together," said Kyle. He grinned. "I think I already know where you're going with this." Uncle Ramon smiled. "All the parts are important, but none can do the job alone," he said. "Both in clocks and in the Lord's work, all parts--or people--are needed." "Yep." Kyle nodded. "I thought you'd say that. Pastors, Sunday school teachers, janitors, musicians, nursery workers--or whatever--need to all work together. No one is the whole clock--no one is the only important person in a project." "That's right," said Uncle Ramon. "Each one has a special job to do, and to do the best job and accomplish the most, all are needed." How About You? Have you tried to be the "whole clock" in your youth group or Sunday school? Or do you go to the opposite extreme and decide that your small part in the group is not important? Just like it takes many parts to make a clock work, it takes many people to do the best possible job in God's work. Do your part faithfully, working together with all the other members of the group. Each one of you is needed, and each one is important. Today's Key Verse: You are the body of Christ, and members individually. (1 Corinthians 12:27) Today's Key Thought: Work together with others
