Harmony

"Finally, all of you,

be like-minded,

be sympathetic,

love one another,

be compassionate and humble.

Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult.

On the contrary,

repay evil with blessing,

because to this you were called 

so that you may inherit a blessing."

1 Peter 3:8-9

I lay awake at night mulling over the hurtful words.  What did I ever do to her that she would say such a mean thing?  Soon, my mind begins to consider spiteful thoughts.  Maybe I could kill her with kindness.  Or perhaps I could become a real success; that would make her jealous.  I've got to do something, I can't just let her treat me that way.  And I thought she was my friend!

We are called to live in harmony with one another, but it's hard when my flesh works against that command.  I am self-centered, hard-hearted with pride deeply rooted within.  So what gives?  How can I live in unity with my brothers and sisters in Christ, especially when they hurt me?

Sympathy

The pain seared through my right knee, incapacitating me.  Each time I took a step, I felt a throbbing and tightness in the back of my knee, and a searing jolt under the knee cap.  Going up and down stairs was difficult so I knew working my legs in the gym would be out of the question.  Now I know how those people who modified their leg exercises due to knee pain felt.  And to think how I judged them. . . . 

As a powerlifter and bodybuilder, I prided myself on my work ethic and strict form when training in the gym.  Squats especially were performed where I would sink down past the point of parallel so I would make sure to engage every muscle in my legs and hips.  Half squats were considered cheating in my book, and I would never judge them to be a serious exercise; that is until I met my new physical therapist after being diagnosed with Patello Femoral and Medial Compartmental Arthritis in my right knee.

My therapist advised me to radically change the way I work out.  Gone were the lunges, deep squats and leg presses.  In their place, I needed to think about doing 45 degree wall sits, reverse step-ups, and side squat walks.  I gained a new respect for those with arthritis as I joined their ranks.

If I want to show mercy to those around me, I will need to generate a bit of sympathy for their situation.  Instead of honing in on their behavior, I can take a lesson from the Native Americans and walk a mile in their moccasins.  Putting myself in another's place does wonders for changing the way I see them.  Once I can identify with their plight, I will gain a new understanding for the difficulties they face as my heart softens.

I can live in harmony with the family of God when I make an effort to sympathize with the plight of others.

Brotherly Love

They called it tough love, but it appeared harsh and uncaring.  Tossing their teenage daughter out of their home and forcing her to live in a homeless shelter seemed beyond the kind of love I read about in the Bible.  Sure, the girl was surly and disrespectful, refusing to help around the house, but the actions her parents took seemed extreme.

Our culture loves this concept of taking a stand and putting someone in their place.  Studying God's Word, however, I see a different concept of love.  God's love never gives up and is never based on performance: If it were, I would never experience it! (Psalm 103:8-10)  His love always protects, always hopes, is ready to believe the best of everyone and endures through all circumstances.  (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

So, when I'm fed up and ready to kick someone to the curb, God's love within me believes He can make a change in their heart.  For the times when I think only of my rights and could care less what happens to the one who hurt me, God's love within me is concerned with the other's well-being.  During those stressful times when I am repelled by another's outrageous actions, God's love within me girds my heart and drives me toward them in compassion.

I can live in harmony with the family of God when I let God's love rule in my heart.   

Compassionate Humility

The murder trial continued every day for two weeks and I followed every detail in the local newspaper.  A man was on trial for killing his wife and a friend, framing the dead man for the death of his wife.  One of he most interesting pieces of evidence was the fact that the male victim had been shot in the left arm, breaking the bones and leaving a large hole, rendering him incapable of holding a firearm.  Unaware of this injury, however, the real murderer placed the weapon in his friend's hand as he lay dying.

When the Sheriff's Department personnel first arrived on the scene, they found the victim appearing to grip the gun in his left hand.  While this was most likely due to rigor mortis or cadaveric spasms, they kicked the weapon out of his hand as part of standard procedure, just in case he was still alive.

There are times when I can have a similar kind of death grip on past hurts, violations of my rights or even on what I know to be the truth.  Instead of letting go of the way others have harmed me, emptying myself of my own rights, and cutting others a break when they don't adhere to God's ways, I end up clinging to my pain, my sense of justice, and my pride.   

In order to show mercy and forgiveness as is necessary when living in community with others, I will need to empty myself of everything that runs counter to the compassion of God and let His grace fill the void.  Then, I can pray for those who hurt me, showing genuine kindness in the midst of an attack.  I will be enabled to see past my violated liberties and notice the need for mercy.  I may even be able to look past the sin and love the sinner.  

I can live in harmony with the family of God when I humble myself to the point of compassion.

It's not easy to live in community with a diverse group of people with differing backgrounds, tons of baggage and struggles galore.  Since we are called to live of one accord, though, it is possible to do so when I struggle to sympathize with my brother's or sister's plight, let brotherly love drive me, and empty myself of all selfish endeavors so God's mercy and forgiveness can reign.  Then I will have a chance to taste the harmony of which God speaks.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can put pleasing God before all my thoughts of self.

When do I sympathize deeply for my own pain but not at all for another's?

How am I judgmental when viewing the circumstances of a family member?