Finally, all of you
should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers
and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude.
—1 Peter 3:8 (NLT)
As a member of the body
of Christ, you soon discover that being of one mind is not the same as agreeing
on everything in life. It does mean you will agree on the important core issues
of faith in Jesus Christ, and, although you have different perspectives, you
will work for unity when decisions are made. If we all had the same
approach—the same perspective—the same idea, we could not envision God’s whole
picture. Paul compared each member of the body of believers to each member of
the physical body. The hand can’t do much without the eye to guide it. The idea
in a head can’t be expressed without the tongue to speak it. We, also, as
members of the body of Christ, discover we need each other to become the whole
that God had in mind when we were created.
For this to happen, we
need to keep a humble attitude. Sympathize with each over, and love each other
as brothers and sisters. Without tender-hearted love, your way to do something
consumes you, and pride, which believes your way is the only way, grows without
limit. “Don’t be selfish,” Paul wrote. “Don’t try to impress others. Be humble,
thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your
own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude
that Jesus Christ had” (Philippians 2:3-5, NLT). Do we get that? Are we willing
to lay down everything for someone else?
It’s the idea that “my
way is best” which nurtures a critical spirit. We all fight a critical spirit at
times. Some of us fight it easier and less often than others. But it is
something we all must place on His altar. Jesus had everything to prove. He had
the way, and He had the answer. But the way He proved it was by laying down His
life. He washed feet that didn’t deserve it. He loved without receiving in
return. He gave without hesitation.
But, what if your way is
best? And it is not realized? No issue in the body of Christ is larger than the
love which died for it. No issue. When you continually lay down your way—just
as Jesus laid down His life—that is the moment you begin to exercise His gift
of freedom. That is the moment that His love sets you free.
© 2018 Lynn Lacher
www.lynnlacher.com/2018/09/no-issue.html
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