Most of all, unity

  Photo credit: Joits / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA 

Consider the Apostle Paul's words in Philippians 2.  As he starts this passage, he says,

"Therefore if you have any encouragement with being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind."

As I studied this passage last night, I thought to myself, "Do we, do I value unity as much as Paul did?"  Too often, we let our own preferences get in the way of what God speaks to so clearly in this passage - unity.   Here's a quote that might also summarize a Christian perspective on unity: in essentials, unity; in doubtful matters, liberty; in all things, charity.

I once heard Dr. Ravi Zacharias say that in our discussions we need to work on creating more light than heat.  If the Body of Christ were to truly value one another and this notion of growing, learning, and (as noted above) 'the creation of light', I sense that we might look at fellow believers and realize that we are all wounded, all broken, and all seeking out truth by God's grace alone.  When we disagreed, we would offer grace and patience with an attitude that says, "Only God sees perfectly".  We would be slow to think that all the conclusions we have come to are without flaws.  And all this would drive us to the Savior without whom there is no hope for humanity, both in the life to come and in this life.

How have we as the Church today caused division over non-essential issues?  And better yet - how do we define essential issues?  I would state it this way: if the doctrine over which we disagree will not condemn one to Hell or mislead one from Heaven, let us be slow to stand our ground and find out we are standing on another brother or sister.
Above all, be like minded.

 - tC

Avoiding Pain, Maximizing Pleasure

(http://www.flickr.com/photos/unpolarized/208532652/) 

While it's not something most of us will admit, when we reflect on it we have to affirm that much of what we do in life is to avoid pain and to maximize pleasure.  We might not use such polarizing terms, terms that describe the opposite ends of the spectrum - but it's generally true. 

I was speaking with a pastor the other day who shared with me that the reason people become apathetic or bored in their walk with God is usually connected to the spiritual disciplines.  As I probed a bit, he said, "The disciplines force us into a place that is not easy.  Sure, we 'like' talking with God in prayer or reading the Bible, but if I had to choose between eating ice cream or reading my Bible as to which one brought the easiest pleasure with the least amount of energy, the ice cream wins." 

But the irony is that while the immediate pleasure has to be denied in order that we grow in our walk with God (i.e. I want to sleep in  but I get up to read my Bible), the outcome of the discipline is the greatest pleasure we can find - knowing and being known by God. 

Consider your life as I consider mine.  Do I seek temporary pleasure, immediate  pleasure at the cost of greater, lasting pleasure.  C.S. Lewis described it like this:


“We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

- tC