24^th November

“May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for the followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, accept each other as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.”

Romans 15:5-7

God created us wonderfully. We are all different but the same human beings. We breathe the same air, eat the same food produced by the earth and feel the same emotions. Of course wherever we live the air and food may be different, and even the way we express our emotions are different across the world. Yet when it comes down to it, we are the same. This being said, rather than focus on our similarities, we often pick fault with each other’s differences. Even in the church, because someone doesn’t worship the same way as us or doesn’t dress in the same way as us, we can cause conflict and division. Yet the church should be the beacon of difference in this world; a place that the world can look at and see harmony and unity in-spite of our differences.

The writer of Romans was addressing this very issue too and encouraged us all to live in complete harmony, not for ourselves but in humility and serving others. Christ was our perfect example who humbly lived for others and not ourselves. Let’s strive for harmony and unity. Rejoice in our differences and accept each others faults. As the writer of Romans says,

Therefore, accept each other as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.

Amen