Of One Accord

"My prayer is not for them alone.

I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father,

just as you are in me and I am in you.

May they also be in us so that the world

may believe that you have sent me.

I have given them the glory that you gave me,

that they may be one as we are one:

I in them and you in me.

May they be brought to complete unity 

to let the world know that you sent me 

and have loved them even as you have loved me."

John 17:20-23

It has long been said that religion and politics are two topics of conversation to avoid in polite gatherings.  Since both elicit passionate responses and strong opinions, its virtually impossible to hold a pleasant discussion regarding ones' beliefs.  Check out the comment thread under any news story found on the Internet regarding political decisions being made on behalf of the people and its easy to see that we are divided in our beliefs.

Partisanship has long been a problem in politics, as confirmed by this plea made by President John F. Kennedy.  "Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer.  Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past.  Let us accept our own responsibility for the future."  Finding common ground in Capitol Hill has always been difficult.

The same, however, should not be said about the Body of Christ.  Jesus prayed that just as He and His Father are one that His people should also be of one accord.  This may seem to be an impossible feat, but with God, all things are possible.  It is vital that believers "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."  (Ephesians 4:3)  We may not always agree, but we are saved by the same Christ and led by the same Spirit.

For this reason, I can find common ground with my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Foot of the Cross

I have heard it said that the ground is level at the foot of the cross.  As Jesus hung in agony, taking the sin of mankind upon Himself to make a way for me to enjoy a relationship with my Creator forever, there were many who stood there as witnesses.  The soldiers, the women, the mockers, His mother, the disciples:  each had to decide for themselves who Jesus was to them.  A devoted son?  A gifted teachers?  A foolish man?  The Savior of my soul?

For all those who decide that Jesus is Lord and Savior, a common bond exists.  I can travel to the far reaches of the world and run into a sister in Christ and we will be able to relate to each other, despite our diverse backgrounds.  The truth of the Gospel draws us together.

Why, then, do I have troubles with believers in my midst?  My feelings get hurt, my toes are stepped on or I'm uncomfortable with certain traditions.  In a nutshell, my selfish, self-centered attitude keeps me from unity within the Body.

This is why it is vital to the testimony of the Light in a dark world that I strive for peace between family members.  When I don't agree with what someone says, I can put the cause of Christ above my own desire to be right and let it go.  When I feel I'm not being heard, I can place my frustrations in the hands of the only One who can change a heart.  When I'm irritated by the actions of another, I can ask the Lord to give me eyes to see His children as He sees them.

The prayer of Jesus is for the Body of Christ to be unified in the Gospel as our shared foundation.

Glory of God

The boy humbly came before the store manager, holding out his hand to reveal the stolen pack of gum.  "I'm sorry I stole this from you, sir," the 6-year-old stuttered as a single tear rolled down his chocolate-colored cheek, "and I wanted to return it to you."  The lad stood with his head down, waiting for the sentence to be handed down from the man he had affronted with his selfish act of greed.  "Son, you are free to go.  Never before have I seen such honor.  Please tell your mother she is doing a fine job in raising a respectable young man."

The actions of children always reflect, either negatively or positively, upon their parents.  In the same way, the things I do and the way I live my life reflects upon my heavenly Father.  God's glory dwells within me, but many times I choose to live according to my flesh, effectively squelching His magnificence in my life, leaving me only with my own self.  

When I'm walking in a way that pleases myself, I tend to become separated in one way or another from other believers.  Either I won't seem to have much in common with them as I stray away from the path of righteousness, or their idiosyncrasies will begin to annoy me as I'm led by my own flesh instead of God's Spirit.  Living my life according to the flesh leads to disunity.

When, however, I walk in the Spirit, letting Him lead me, shape me and mold me, His grace flows through me giving me the ability to live in a way that pleases Him.  If my relationship with Christ is intact, my bond with others will also be healthy.  As I abide in Jesus, He shows me when I need to seek forgiveness, when I'm being harsh, or when I'm too self-centered.  

In this way, people will see the good that comes out of me and recognize it as from my Father.  Instead of me getting the praise and honor, God will get it all.

The prayer of Jesus is for the Body of Christ to show the glory of God in the way we get along with each other.

Love Binds Us

Out of the 6.9 billion people estimated to be living on planet Earth in 2010, 2.18 billion profess to be Christian.  While one-third of those Christians live in the Americas, fully one-fourth live in Sub-Saharan Africa and one in eight in Asia and the Pacific.  It takes some strong adhesive to bind such a diverse group of people together.

The binding agent that keeps us unified despite our differences is the love that flows through our veins.  This love comes from God who loved us first, enabling us to have compassion for others.  (1 John 4:19)  When my brother or sister falls short, as we all do, this love covers a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8, Proverbs 10:12)  Coming alongside someone who is falling away from the truth is much more loving than standing in front of them shaking my finger in condemnation.  It is important to speak the truth in love, with the intention of mending the fellowship they have with Christ.  

As this love binds me together with my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, enabling me to overlook imperfections and embrace differences, a legacy of love will be laid down for all who witness our lives.  Instead of being known for hypocrisy or judgementalism, then,  the Body of Christ will be known for His love.  (John 13:35)

This love does not come from within my natural self.  Rather, God's love flows through me from His indwelling Spirit, loving those around me whom I cannot love on my own.  As David McCasland wrote in Our Daily Bread, "Our limited ability to love does not change God's limitless power to love through us."

The prayer of Jesus is for the Body of Christ to be bound together by His love.

Unity in the Body of Christ is possible as we stand together on the solid ground of the Gospel, give glory to God by showing grace to others, and let the love of God bind us together.  In this way we will be living as of one accord.  

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can let Jesus be my focus as I face difficulties today.

When do I put my own selfish desires about the glory of God?

How do I let difficulties or disagreements block the flow of love from God out to others?