comm unity

Scripture

Ephesians 4: 2-3 “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace”.

 

Observation

Unity is a powerful force. Nature shows us this when we see a cyclone on the ocean. All of the elements of nature are working in the same direction to create what we are seeing. One of the elements can’t decide to sit on the sidelines! The wind couldn’t just forfeit the event and let the ocean do it all by itself. Relationships, teams, human endeavours also work on the same principle. To have unity takes effort from every participant. Paul says humility, gentleness, love, effort and peace are the ingredients that every person needs to bring in order for there to be unity. And the Holy Spirit works amongst those who bring these attitudes to the table to make it work.

 

Application

Actually I can achieve tremendous amounts of unity if I’m totally on my own!! But God calls me to live in community and therefore I need to constantly learn to submit to the ingredients of humility, gentleness, patience and peace to make unity the outcome. I wonder how often I’m the ingredient in a relationship or a team that is trying to forfeit correct involvement or passively sit on the sidelines pretending that my inaction isn’t affecting anything? Probably more than I’d like to admit. Unity takes effort, but nothing good is achieved without effort!

 

Prayer

Lord thankyou for your effort towards me. My efforts of unity often have a selfish motivation which I try to justify through hard work or overwhelming amounts of activity. But you see through these. You call me to put effort into humility, gentleness, patience, and to put up with difficult people and situations with love and acceptance. Help me to be more consistent in achieving that. I need to get this right if I’m to live in comm unity.

 

Jim Jung