Some things just naturally go together…a BLT sandwich, for example. Bacon, lettuce, and tomato layered together make a beautiful lunch…add some avocado and you have perfection.
And then there’s some things naturally do not go together – literally in nature like a lion, tiger, and bear, but about 15 years ago a lion, a tiger, and a bear were rescued from terrible circumstances after held in cages under a drug dealer’s home in Atlanta. In spite of their natural differences, they were inseparable. Their story made the news and they became the now famous animal BLT – Baloo the American black bear, Leo the lion and Shere Khan the Bengal tiger
Stories of unlikely friendships and unity in this way capture our hearts. They amaze us and cause us to think about why we all can’t just get along like these natural enemies did. As much as we love it, it simply doesn’t come naturally to us, but not only is unity is a beautiful thing, it’s our calling. The unity we are taught in God’s Word is unique. Paul encouraged the Ephesians to live up to their calling as members of one body in Christ
“I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
When Paul wrote to the first-century church at Colossae, he was well aware of the diversity of its members. He reminded them, “Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and in all” (Colossians 3:11). In a group where surface, as well as deeper differences, could easily divide people, Paul urged them to “clothe [themselves] with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience” (v. 12). And over all these virtues, he told them to put on love “which binds them all together in perfect unity” (v. 14).
Despite our differences, as members of the family of God, we have been reconciled to Him through the death of our Savior and reconciled to each other through the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Unity isn’t someone else’s responsibility. If you’re a follower of Christ it’s yours – it’s your calling.
Pray to grow in gentleness and patience toward others. Pray that God would show you how to love others, even with all their differences. Ask God to reveal any tendency to see things your way and ignore the value of others. Pray your desire for God’s will would be so much greater than the desire for your own that you become more committed to the true church – one that is truly united as one body and one Spirit for God’s cause.
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