UnitySample

Love, despite our differences

Psalm 133 can give the impression that unity is a feel-good experience. That it’s wonderful, enjoyable and maybe even easy. Kind of like a church picnic by the river where everyone is getting along – and agreeing! Amazing.

First Corinthians 12 starts to give us a different picture. ‘For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ’ (v13). Different members, different roles, different functions. Different perspectives? All working together. Now it’s getting interesting.

‘And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you”’ (1 Corinthians 12:21).

That’s starting to feel personal. What if the ‘eye’ and the ‘hand’ vote differently? What if the ‘head’ and the ‘feet’ are on opposite sides of a debate? Perhaps God is more comfortable with our diversity (and our mess) than we are?

‘Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually’ (v27).

May we love each other as Christ demonstrated, whether we agree or not. And may our differences enrich our unity – as the body of Christ.

Written by JONI BOYD