“Ladies and gentlemen, we have a situation…”
DEVOTIONS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS
“Ladies and gentlemen, we have a situation…”
It seemed like just another flight. Weary travelers, cramped seats, tiny bags of pretzels. We’d scarcely been in the air for 30 minutes when the captain’s voice crackled ominously through the intercom. Nothing could have prepared us for what we heard next:
“…we’ve just been informed that there’s a bomb on the plane.”
It was as if time stopped. The lights came on, the movie went black. Passengers sat in stunned silence as flight attendants transformed into battlefield commanders, coordinating operations for emergency descent. Moments later, the giant 747 dropped its nose and rocketed downward at an angle never meant for commercial flights.
Earlier that evening, travelers had been preoccupied with their own desires. They wanted the best seat, the roomiest overhead bin, the tastiest snack or drink. They were irritated that the flight was running late, and bothered that the temperature at our destination was in single digits.
Attitudes change quickly with the reality that you may no longer be alive in 10 minutes.
We touched down in hunched “brace” positions. We scrambled out on the wings and flung ourselves down emergency slides to the icy tarmac. We huddled, jacketless, in a dark, snowy airfield for 15 frigid minutes before airport shuttles arrived. We spent most of the night in a tiny, deserted regional airport terminal… no drinks, no snacks, no personal items or electronic devices to keep us entertained. But guess what:
No one complained.
Why?
We had been saved! We were thankful to be alive!
We had unity.
We were doomed to an unpleasant fate, but now we shared a unique bond to which others couldn’t relate.
Unity. It’s one of those church-y words, and a concept that most of us struggle with. Unity among Christians is mentioned often in the New Testament, but it’s something we usually rationalize. We apply the idea to Christians that we like or agree with, and forget that Christian unity isn’t based on personal preferences.
Following Christ in unity doesn’t mean we’ll all choose the same ice cream, watch the same Netflix dramas, or root for the same NFL team. It doesn’t even mean we’ll suddenly prefer the same style of worship or Bible translation. Unity is coming together, despite our differences, to show the world that Christians are united in love. Why? Because we’ve been saved! We share a unique bond that should shine through to the world around us.
Imagine how ridiculous it would have been if my fellow passengers and I had been delivered from that ill-fated flight, only to start arguing with each other in the airport… the lighting in the terminal was too dim, the background music was boring, the seats were uncomfortable. We would have obviously missed the bigger picture. Instead, we experienced joy and celebration together, despite our many differences, because we had life.
Could it be that our struggles with Christian unity start when we overlook the bigger picture?
Have we become so comfortable with God’s grace that we no longer truly cherish and celebrate our rescue from a grim fate?
Disunity in the church
Unity isn’t trendy these days. Our culture is fixated on controversy, opinionated rants, and highlighting all the things that rub us the wrong way. Christians are not immune to this mindset. Debates in the past year over politics, vaccinations, masks, and church-closings have proven that.
Are we letting things like this hijack our unity in Christ?
Disunity among Christians is one of Satan’s favorite weapons. It robs our joy and distracts us from the glory of Jesus. Disunity festers, creates bitterness within the church, and ultimately tears down our witness to the world. The evil one would love nothing more than to see Christians divided. The apostle Paul urges us to fight back and “make every effort to keep ourselves united in the Spirit, binding ourselves together with peace” (Ephesians 4:3).
God doesn’t ask us to agree about everything, but He does call us to accept our differences in love and grace. Not only for our own joy and well-being, but because “this will be our witness to the world” (John 13:35). We’ve been created as diverse individuals, but “we’re to lead a life worthy of our calling, for we have been called by God” (Ephesians 4:1).
Unity in Christ
As Christ-followers, how do we stay united? Paul gives us a simple, but significant, start in Ephesians 4:2: “Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.” This sounds almost too trite — a basic lesson from our Sunday School days. But putting these attitudes into practice isn’t easy, and it’s not optional!
Look at Ephesians 4:2 again and reflect: am I truly seeking unity at all times? Do I consciously attempt to “make allowances for others’’? Am I gentle and humble about my own opinions? Or am I prone to become belligerent over personal preferences?
Of course, being humble and patient doesn’t mean accepting something that’s clearly against Scripture. That’s not keeping unity in the Spirit. Disagreements are inevitable, but they don’t have to lead to disunity. Here are some unifying thoughts when believers disagree:
1. Humbly consider if there’s clear Scriptural guidance on the issue. The Bible doesn't speak in black-and-white terms on everything. Believers can have different opinions and both be right (Romans 14)!
2. Listen with an open mind and consider the reality that you might not have all the right answers or fully understand other perspectives. Ask God to direct your thoughts on the subject (James 1:5).
3. Rants, name-calling, and/or posting controversial opinions on social media won’t create unity or attract others to Jesus. Avoid these secular trends, and “in your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Jesus” (Philippians 2:5).
4. Seek help and advice from your elders or pastors for biblical clarity on controversial subjects (Proverbs 12:15).
The goal of unity
Romans 15:5-7 says, “May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God… Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.”
Notice here that the ultimate goal of unity is to bring glory to God! Let’s not miss the bigger picture. Let’s give glory to God and show the world that Christians are truly united in love — because we’ve been saved!
- Ron Reid
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