In Romans 14:1 I read, “Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don't see things the way you do." (The Message)
Unity is not uniformity. When God says he wants his followers to be united, it doesn’t mean he wants us all to be alike. If he had wanted that, he would have created us all the same!
For unity’s sake, I must never let differences in the church divide us. I should celebrate those differences while staying focused on what matters most: learning to love each other as Christ has loved me and fulfilling God’s purposes for me in his church.
But what about all those differences in church members who annoy me? How can I be unified with someone who irritates me to no end?
“Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don’t see things the way you do. And don’t jump all over them every time they do or say something you don’t agree with—even when it seems that they are strong on opinions but weak in the faith department. Remember, they have their own history to deal with. Treat them gently” (Romans 14:1 The Message).
In church, or anywhere, be quick to listen and slow to anger when I have a disagreement. Why? Because most people tend to look at how far a person has to go rather than recognizing how far they’ve already come.
If I knew how much someone had already overcome in life, I’d probably be rejoicing with them instead of criticizing them for where they are now.
When I have a conflict with someone whose background I don’t know, don’t dismiss them or judge them for behavior that I don’t understand. Stop thinking, “What is wrong with this person?” Instead, ask, “What happened to them?”
Someone’s behavior might be shaped by trauma or crisis. Hurt people hurt people. When I find someone who’s hurting other people, if I dig deep enough, I’ll find that they also have been hurt.
The people that I think deserve my kindness the least are those who need the most massive doses of love. To achieve unity, offer empathy and compassion instead of judgment.
When I affirm someone’s worth and the story God is writing through their life, I don’t just change that one person’s life. I can transform a whole community!
In summary, welcome with open arms fellow believers who don't see things the way I do. Unity is not uniformity. When God says he wants his followers to be united, it doesn’t mean he wants us all to be alike. For unity’s sake, I must never let differences in the church divide me. Rather, I should celebrate those differences while staying focused on what matters most: learning to love each other as Christ has loved me and fulfilling God’s purposes for me in his church. To be unified with someone who irritates me, I’m told to welcome them with open arms and not jump all over them when they do or say something I don’t agree with. I need to remember, they have their own history to deal with. Treat them gently. I need to be quick to listen and slow to anger when I have a disagreement. When I have a conflict with someone whose background I don’t know, I shouldn’t dismiss them or judge them for behavior that I don’t understand. Consider or think, what happened to them. Someone’s behavior might be shaped by trauma or crisis.The people I think deserve my kindness the least are those who need the most massive doses of love. To achieve unity, I need to learn to offer empathy and compassion rather than judgment. When I affirm someone’s worth and the story God is writing through their life, I don’t just change that one person’s life. I can transform a whole community!
This verse assumes there will be differences of opinion in the church (disputable matters). Paul says I am not to quarrel about issues that are matters of opinion. Differences should not be feared or avoided, but accepted and handled with love. Don't expect everyone, even in the best possible church, to agree on every subject. Through sharing ideas we can come to a fuller understanding of what the Bible teaches. Accept, listen to, and respect others. Differences of opinion need not cause division. They can be a source of learning and richness in our relationships.
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