"Can't we all just get along?" That
was Rodney King's question after the L.A. Riots in 1992. The same question
still goes unanswered today. There is division all across our world. "The
Merry Minuet", a satirical song popularized by the Kingston Trio
in the late 50's or early 60's has an eerily familiar and timely theme still
relevant today. Here are the lyrics:
"They're
rioting in Africa, they're starving in Spain.
There's
hurricanes in Florida, and Texas needs rain.
The
whole world is festering with unhappy souls.
The
French hate the Germans, the Germans hate the Poles.
Italians
hate Yugoslavs, South Africans hate the Dutch.
And
I don't like anybody very much!
But
we can be tranquil, and thankful, and proud,
For
mans' been endowed with a mushroom-shaped cloud.
And
we know for certain that some lovely day
Someone
will set the spark off, and we will all be blown away.
They're
rioting in Africa, there's strife in Iran.
What
nature doesn't do to us, will be done by our fellow man."
Here at home in the U.S., we look no further
than our Congress, which, seldom in our history, has been so divided. There
seems to be no common ground for which Republicans and Democrats can agree.
There is gridlock in our governance. (That might be a good thing because they
are not able to further mess things up!)
Sadly, this division extends to the Christian
church. Denominational differences, in some cases, have been shown to be
hurtful and divisive, although they need not be that way. The Japanese theologian, Kokichi Kurosaki (1886-1970), writes in
his book, "One
Body in Christ, Kobe",
"The
different emphases of many denominations and sects are
not
bad in themselves. These very differences would profit the
whole
Body if each group would only be humble enough to
recognize
the value of the others, instead of making their
differences
the basis of exclusivism and separation."
The Bible clearly states our common identity
in Ephesians 4:4-6 (NIV)
"There
is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called
to
one hope when you were called--one Lord, one faith, one
baptism;
one God and Father of all, who is over all and through
all
and in all. "
So, what is the answer? Again, I direct our
attention to Scripture for the answer. It is found in Phillipians , Chapter
Two.
1
"If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any
comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and
compassion,
2 then make my joy complete by being
like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.
3 Do
nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider
others better than yourselves.
4
Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the
interests of others.
5 Your attitude should be the same as that of
Christ Jesus
6 Who, being in very nature God, did not
consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7 but made himself nothing, taking the very
nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, he
humbled himself and became obedient to death--even death on a cross!"
A Prayer:
Lord, give us
the will and the strength to daily live out this Scriptural challenge in our
own lives.
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