Together in unity

Have ever been to a middle school band concert? Having spent over thirteen years in youth and family ministry, I have been to my fair share.

The students sit dow, the director steps to the podium, raises his baton, and they begin playing. Sometimes the sounds that come forth from the band are less than, shall we say, harmonious. Not everyone is playing the correct note, following the director, and controlling their volume.

Now, picture you have tickets to hear the Cleveland Symphany Orchestra at Severance Hall. You settle into your seat, the conductor stands before the group, and as he lowers the baton you are overwhelmed by a rich, harmonious sound that sometimes reaches to the inner core of our emotions.

While you hold that image in your mind, let these words from the Psalmist pour over you...

How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore. (Psalm 133:1-3 NIV)

While most of us can't relate to the idea of oil being poured over a priest's head, we can understand the sounds of a world-class symphony orchestra. The wonder. The richness. The amazement of so many individuals coming together creating beauty.

In the church, like the orchestra, not everyone plays the same instrument, sounds the same note, or uses the same rhythm. Each of us is blessed with certain gifts, using them in certain ways at certain times. We will have times when we are called to work hard and moments when we should rest. Some of us are more delicate and others more bold. Neither is wrong, just different.

Unity isn't about agreeing on everything or doing everything the same way. It's ultimately about following our leader, our conductor, our Lord. Paul states it this way...

Therefore if you have any encouragement from 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. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:1-4 NIV)

If we want true unity, we need to focus less on agreeing about everything, and more on agreeing about one thing: that God is God and we are not. We should exercise humility and love as we work together to accomplish Christ's mission, not ours.

Will we be wrong about some of the specifics that we believe and practice? I guarantee it. There are more times than I can count where after study, experience, and prayer, I have changed my opinion on my specific understandings of what it means to follow Jesus. But one thing that has never changed is that I am following Christ wherever he leads me.

And like a good orchestra, when all of God's people keep their eyes on the conductor, something beautiful will emerge. When we embody and exhibit the love and humility of Christ as a body, then the world will take note.

shine!

Jason