For our struggle is not against flesh and blood… Eph 6:12 (NIV)
I was discussing a book with a friend recently, and when I told them who the author was, they immediately shut down. I asked them about it and they replied with a level of indignation and disgust that they couldn’t support the author because of the different views he was expressing…
The author and the person I was speaking with both love Jesus, both want to spread the message of hope and both genuinely want to see people experience freedom. I love and respect them both. So, what is it that divides us like this? How can people believing in the same Jesus stand ‘against’ or withdraw their support (love, favour, acceptance) from one-another?
I’m not innocent. I’ve fought my fellow Christians over doctrine and theology and practices and ideals until we were all blue in the face and didn’t have anything left to say to each other. How sad. The hatred and malice I sometimes find within communities of faith astounds me.
Then there's the way we treat those who don’t have faith in God. The lifestyles they live, or the things they watch and engage in… different cultural groups… and the general wrestle amongst each other… As humans, we've become masters at fighting each other over our differences.
All the while, evil reclines not having to lift a finger to disperse hate and chaos…
The struggle we face is not against humanity. Our differences are a huge distraction to our collective calling… unity and love. Can you imagine if we stopped fighting and listened to each other instead? If we stopped judging and hoped instead? If we stopped hating and loved instead?
There is more that unites us than divides us, and we must ‘fight’ our own natures and fears to hang on to those things.
(I’m not saying that there’s no room for discussion, correction, or the pursuit of truth. I’m passionate about those things!! But we could all engage in a little more R-E-S-P-E-C-T).
We’re not called to “stand for righteousness” by standing against each-other… quite the opposite. More on this tomorrow, but until then…
Eph 4:3-4 “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
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