While playing outside yesterday, we noticed a hawk in the tree right over head. At first, it was cool to watch, but then it was like, “Oh no, what is it trying to get?”
As the day went on, he sat there on the edge of the tree branch high above our heads. But the other birds, they were not happy he was there. They chirped and chirped away. As the noise grew, I realized they were mad. Eventually, they started flying into him. At first there was just one or two at a time flying into him. He didn’t budge. Then at one point, I counted the hawk get hit fifteen times in a row, by small birds and even smaller birds… well, they looked pretty small from where I was sitting, even the hawk did. After that, the hawk puffed out his feathers and popped all over the place. So, the little birds started hitting him again and again. In the end, the hawk flew off and the little birds “won.”
The birds had a big common threat. They came together, despite their specific species and fought that threat together. The hawk didn’t give in easily, but together they got that big bird of prey out of their home.
Church this is what we need to do. Come together! UNITE!
There is so much division in our world, and it truly breaks my heart.
Mask- no mask.
Stay at home- No, everything should be opened, and we have the right to go.
Democrat- Republican
Trump- Anti-Trump
Black Lives Matter- No, All Lives Matter
We draw this line in the sand, choose our spot, and then cast stones at our brothers and sisters on the other sides.
This is NOT what the body of Christ is supposed to look like.
“God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree together, so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be united in mind and conviction.” (1 Corinthians 1:9-10)
My heart breaks over the division.
Can we not see that by choosing to be right, we are hurting our brothers and sisters on the other side? Why can’t we just listen? We don’t have to agree… we can simply listen with our hearts and try to understand where they are coming from. (Listen without an agenda to make yourself right- please!)
If you have a brother or sister in Christ on the other side of the line you have drawn, I urge you to please watch your tongue.
“The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” (Proverbs 12:18)
I was voicing my hurt over this division to my husband, and he wisely told me that the problem… the entire problem is sin. When you scale this problem down, people want their voices to be heard. They struggle with authority. Thus, they throw their words around like swords. It’s no different than the arguments he and I get into. I don’t like what he has to say, so I harshly make comments intended to make him feel bad. (Yes, we argue. But we also resolve our conflict quickly.) Why do I do that to my husband, my best friend, my leader, my rock? Well, sin.
Sin is the problem. Sin is the common threat/enemy.
There is only one cure- Jesus.
But Christians, how can people know this cure when we are regularly giving into our sin nature and not properly representing Christ?
I’m not asking you to change your stance on any of your lines. I’m not asking you to stand in the middle (that may be worse). I am asking you to take an honest look inside and ask, “If that person didn’t know Jesus, would they seem a glimpse of Him through my words and actions?”
Do you truly love all your brothers and sisters in Christ? Or just those who think like you?