It concerns me how an increased sense of division and a general lack of unity or oneness seems to be becoming more prevalent in our nation. Whether you look at national politics, communities or families, unity seems to be the exception rather than the norm. After all, there are so many things that seem to encourage us to take sides. The latest political and cultural hot button issues are continually pulling us away from each other.
We each have our opinions on issues, and many of these issues are very significant - things that deal with our Constitution, our faith, our desire to see our nation stay on a course set by our founding fathers, and our personal understanding of what is best for our culture.
I’m not suggesting that we should all agree to get along. Far from it. I believe it is appropriate that we have strong opinions about many of these things. It’s appropriate that we seek to exercise our rights within the political process to influence policies and direction according to our beliefs. I have some strong opinions on these things that tend to divide us.
I don’t think having strong opinions is the problem.
A friend of mine was recently asked by someone about a post of mine on Facebook. In the process of the conversation the subject of who they voted for in the last presidential election was raised. One of the gentlemen in this conversation basically said, ‘If you voted like that, we’re done!’ He was no longer interested in associating with someone he had known for decades because of his vote in the last election. His approach was, if we don’t agree about this we can’t associate. The line has been drawn. You’re the enemy.
Is it necessary to draw our battle lines in such a way that we divide over everything we disagree about?
Is it necessary to vilify everyone we disagree with?
Is it necessary to decide everyone who disagrees with you is an idiot, obviously not a Christian, anti-American, etc.?
Could we possibly be a people who disagree on significant issues and still experience unity? Can we be a great melting pot in this nation, where we disagree on many things and still come together as one? Is that possible? Could we possibly drop some of the barriers we’ve erected and still agree to love one another? If we can’t, where do our battles with each other ultimately take us?
Is it really Christ-like to decide that we can’t possibly associate with anyone who disagrees with us? Is that really what Jesus did when He walked this earth?
Consider these words of Jesus that speak to the importance of unity and the consequences of division.
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” John 17:20-23 (NIV)
“Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: ‘Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall.’” Luke 11:17 (NIV)
Maybe it’s just me, but I believe that there is much to be said for coming together as one, even when we disagree.
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Editor’s note: Al Fowler is the pastor of First Baptist Church, Pea Ridge. He can be contacted at 451-8192, or by e-mail at [email protected].
Church, Pages 2 on 05/22/2013