03.07.06
Quoting Rodney King…
I’m not sure if it’s an accurate report, a joke or urban legend - and I”m feeling to lazy to check. At any rate, Rodney King is reported to have said “Why can’t we all just get along?”
That’s a good question. Why can’t we? Especially as Christians. After all, that is our Lord and Savior’s desire. He prayed for us the night that He was betrayed. The prayer is recorded in John 17 and is the REAL “Lord’s Prayer”. As He lifted His Apostles up He also prayed for “those who will believe in me through their word”. That, my dear friend, is YOU and ME and our Lord went on to ask “…that they may all be one… that the world will believe that Thou hast sent Me.”
OUCH! That hurts, doesn’t it? Our Lord prayed for our unity, but we divide over the stupidest things. “Christians” have been known to fight and split congregations over something as simple as what color to paint the meeting house, or what kind of carpet to lay in “the sanctuary”. Interestingly enough, Jesus told us what the real mark of the true Christian IS. And it wasn’t “the ones with the soundest doctrine”. It wasn’t “the ones who worship me according to a special formula.” It wasn’t even “the ones who dress in a special way.” So what IS the mark of a true disciple?
Jesus said, “A new commandment I give you, that you love one another even as I have loved you shall you love one another.  By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35 So, that’s the secret. How will He react when we stand before Him and say “I separated from my brother because he didn’t do things the way I thought he should according to my understanding of the Bible.”? He can see the depths of our hearts. He knows the hidden thoughts we do not openly express. And you can’t fake love.
Often we are guilty of mislaid zealousness. We are zealous that folks do things according to our understanding of the Bible. Shouldn’t we be even more zealous of showing love? To often we forget that we are finite creatures. Our understanding is limited and should be constantly growing and maturing. But so is that of other believers. Ephesians 4:11-13 says in part that the Church’s leaders are to “equip the saints for works of service for the building up of the body of Christ until we all reach unity in faith and knowledge of the Son of God.” “Works of Service” will build up the body of Christ? “Works of Service” will help us reach unity in faith and knowledge of the Son of God? That’s sure the way it looks to ME as I continue to study and seek God’s will.
So, why can’t we all just get along? Is it not due in part to hubris? We are convinced that we are the only bearers of truth and the only ones who know “everything there is to know” about God and His Will? Who are we kidding? God Alone is omniscient. God Alone is capable of understanding entirely His Will. The rest of us see according to our personal perspective. The rest of us are “growing up into Christ who is the Head.” If we’d show more love and less pride, wouldn’t we also be closer to fulfilling Jesus’ Prayer? Wouldn’t we be closer to receiving commendation from Him on that final day?