My husband, Joe, is an avid cyclist. He is really quite good, and even rides on a cycling team. Working in bike shops in the past, he knows a lot about the bicycle machine and how it works. He has told me more than once that building the bicycle wheel is an art form. He has explained to me that each spoke must be equally tensioned in order for the wheel to be round and "true". A "true" wheel means that the wheel will spin straight and not wobble from side to side. A good wheel builder can actually pluck the center of each spoke like a guitar string, listen to the pitch, and find the one spoke that needs an adjustment. One spoke can make the difference in determining if a wheel is balanced or unbalanced. When the spokes are engaged equally into the hub and rim, the wheel will be perfectly round, and its spokes will sing a single song.
I have often thought of how the wheel can be compared to community. In order for a wheel to run smoothly and efficiently, competition can not exist....there must be cooperation. Each spoke is equally important. Each spoke is crucial for balance to exist. The hub, the center of the wheel, is where the spokes are closest and where the strength of the wheel resides. The distance the spoke must travel to the rim determines the size of the wheel. The rim is where all the spokes are separate but united.
In my heart, I know that heaven could exist right here on earth if we could each see the value of our own and each others one unique spoke. Centered in the belief that God formed each of us perfectly (despite our imperfections) for a unique purpose, we could travel out into the world singing our universal song, one day arriving at the rim where we are all united in cooperation in one giant circle of peace. Find your spoke. Engage your spoke. We cannot be "true" without you.