Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:3
In Ephesians 4, Paul begins to lay out some nitty-gritty elements of living a truly Christian life, modeling love and unity. And right near the beginning he implies it is not easy.
"Make every effort." Paul seems to suggest that it will take work to remain unified with fellow believers. Unfortunately, we see a lot of discord and disagreement among those who all claim to follow the same Lord! Why is that? Here's a few possibilities.
We major on minors. There is a time to stand for principles and a time to allow certain things to roll off our backs. Knowing which is which can be very tough. But if we look into our hearts, we can often tell if we are being loving and unified even when we disagree. Yes, it is possible to disagree agreeably. Some of the worst fights can start over a simple little word, action, or omission of a word or action.
We don't look at the bigger issue. As mentioned above, a relatively minor things can trigger a bigger problem. That's when we need to ask ourselves, and perhaps the other person involved, "What's really at the root of this?" Does Sally's comment about Bridgett's hair looking "nicer when it was longer" actually trigger memories of arguments Brigett constantly had with her mother about how long her hair should be? Does the husband's lack of helping with errands reveal a mind full of too many details not related to who is truly important in his life?
We feel insecure. Often, when we are looking for others to agree with us or be "on our side" it confirms our own feelings. I struggle with not thinking for myself sometimes, preferring to have verification from others that the direction I'm headed is probably right. So if someone disagrees, it can feel scary and can trigger fear--which is a close relative to anger.
Do you feel angry because deep down you feel scared?
Throughout the chapter Paul exhorts us to exhibit humility, integrity, selflessness, love. When most of our thoughts are about how to serve others versus what will make our day easier for us, we can grow in patience and following what God wants for each day. That is one part of the effort it takes to "live in unity."
What other ways do we have to make an effort to live in unity?
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