Our union with Jesus is right at the heart of what it means to be a Christian. Being united with Jesus means, among other things, being united with His body, His people. So there's no growing to maturity in the Christian life without growing and working toward unity together as a body. This is often hard work. It means persevering and showing much grace to other believers who are different or difficult. But this the road to joy and fruitfulness. It honours Jesus. And it reflects the way he's been sacrificial, gracious and persevering with us.