It is truly wonderful when relatives live together in peace…
It is like the dew from Mount Hermon, falling on Zion’s mountains, where the LORD has promised to bless his people with life forevermore. Psalm 133:1, 3 (CEV)
Unity in the Church is our #1 failure and when we talk about the war between good and evil, our enemy knows where to strike to win the most battles – inside Jesus’ Body of Believers. How horribly sad is that?
Unity does not mean we become so lukewarm that we end up with a homogenized Body of Christ that has no ‘spark’, no Power. I see unity when we encourage and support each other to serve the Lord in the way He has called us. I see unity when we focus on the ‘majors’ (like Jesus is Lord!) and allow each other to have different ‘minors’ (like do you pray in tongues or not). I know that my ‘minors’ are many and some of my brothers and sisters within Christ’s Body do not have the same list. I want to continue to look at Jesus and see what He considers the ‘major’ points.
Christ encourages you, and his love comforts you. God’s Spirit unites you, and you are concerned for others. Now make me completely happy! Live in harmony by showing love for each other. Be united in what you think, as if you were only one person. Don’t be jealous or proud, but be humble and consider others more important than yourselves. Care about them as much as you care about yourselves.    Philippians 2:1-4 (CEV)
Where there is unity, God gives blessings. We wonder why more people do not come to accept Jesus when we do not ‘love’ any more than the pagans! Isn’t that what Jesus said (Luke 6:27-36)?
My ‘enemies’ are not just people I hate. If someone is not my brother or sister in my heart, then I have put them in the ‘other’ list. Do you worship with someone that you make sure that you do not have to greet? Is there someone that doesn’t make your blessing list? Or prayer list? Those can be difficult questions. Questions that need the honesty and discernment of the Holy Spirit to answer, I think.
There is a well-known song that says, “Let there be peace on earth…and let it begin with me.†Let there be unity in the Body…and let it begin with me.
