“I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.” 1 Corinthians 1:10
A wall has been built. A division has been created. A split has been made. Mankind has been detached from each other. This division has been made by man, by every one of us. This space has been created by our words, our actions, and even our thoughts. We seem to enjoy the tension created by our deeds. God created men and women of all colors and sizes. He didn’t mean for us to criticize, insult, and deny each other. We were born to love, not hate! Yet we create new ways to reject another person. We seem to thrive on hate and revenge. We see it every single day, whether it’s on TV or in our workplace. We are not supposed to be a people of disdain and plotting. We are supposed to build each other up. We are supposed to support each others endeavors.
“For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.” Ephesians 2:14-16
We created this space, these walls, all these obstacles that continue to divide us. All we do is hurt one another when we should be loving one another. Jesus came to this earth in human form to die on that rugged cross so that each one of us could live eternally with our Father in heaven. He showed us how we should live. He showed us how to love everyone no matter their color, no matter their beliefs, and no matter what language they speak. He didn’t show us how to judge or how to criticize or how to complain or how to turn our backs on our fellow man. We were made in our Father’s likeness to love, to share, to forgive, and to support each other.
Why do we continue to leave these walls in our way? We should be breaking these walls down and letting our heavenly light shine brightly. Let us inspire each other!
“I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.” Romans 16:17-18
“The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body —whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free —and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” 1 Corinthians 12:12-27
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-13
BRD •1/15/01
A wall has been built. A division has been created. A split has been made. Mankind has been detached from each other. This division has been made by man, by every one of us. This space has been created by our words, our actions, and even our thoughts. We seem to enjoy the tension created by our deeds. God created men and women of all colors and sizes. He didn’t mean for us to criticize, insult, and deny each other. We were born to love, not hate! Yet we create new ways to reject another person. We seem to thrive on hate and revenge. We see it every single day, whether it’s on TV or in our workplace. We are not supposed to be a people of disdain and plotting. We are supposed to build each other up. We are supposed to support each others endeavors.
“For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.” Ephesians 2:14-16
We created this space, these walls, all these obstacles that continue to divide us. All we do is hurt one another when we should be loving one another. Jesus came to this earth in human form to die on that rugged cross so that each one of us could live eternally with our Father in heaven. He showed us how we should live. He showed us how to love everyone no matter their color, no matter their beliefs, and no matter what language they speak. He didn’t show us how to judge or how to criticize or how to complain or how to turn our backs on our fellow man. We were made in our Father’s likeness to love, to share, to forgive, and to support each other.
Why do we continue to leave these walls in our way? We should be breaking these walls down and letting our heavenly light shine brightly. Let us inspire each other!
“I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.” Romans 16:17-18
“The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body —whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free —and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” 1 Corinthians 12:12-27
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-13
BRD •1/15/01
Where there seems to be no way;
He works in ways we cannot see,
He will make a way for me.
Phillipians 4:10-13