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So in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. Romans 12:5 (NIV)
Take a look around you. Right now. While your reading this. What do you see? Look for details. Colors. Shapes. People and the various details of their presence (hair color, eyes, voice inflections, clothing tastes and colors).
Now take a deep breath and smell whatever aromas are around you. Listen to the various sounds. Try for a moment to let your senses take complete control of you and focus on the details, not the whole.
Have you ever take time to contemplate the huge variety of differences around us? Even just looked out the window to take notice of the many shades of green? Our world is full of a vast amount of variety. All of that ‘stuff’ that makes up our environment works together in perfect harmony. Were it not for man’s influence on our environment many of the problems it has would probably be non-existent because nature, in and of itself is marked by two things: variety and harmony, or if we want to narrow it down further, all of nature works together in unity.
Isn’t it interesting that when Jesus prayed his last prayer in the garden, just hours before he was brutally murdered, he prayed for unity among believers? He didn’t pray that we’d all have the same doctrinal beliefs. He didn’t pray for one denomination (frankly I think the idea of denominations was one reason he sweat great drops of blood!). Jesus prayed that all of us would work together just like the world he created, in perfect harmony amidst the variety.
How many marriages would be saved if the parties involved worked together in unity? How many churches would thrive if they let go of the denominational distinctions long enough to work towards bringing people to Jesus? How many people would be fed in third-world countries if rival political groups would set aside the things they disagree with to focus on feeding the starving people?
When God created the world, he created diversity because there is beauty in diversity. When he created you and me he didn’t use a rubber stamp because you and I working amidst the variety to create harmony is a thing of beauty.
Notice when Paul wrote to the Roman believers he wrote that we are all one body and not a group of bodies? We who claim to follow Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior must celebrate the differences if we hope to win the world for Jesus. Set aside race issues. Destroy the ‘gender gap’. Eliminate the seclusion of denominational affiliation. Jesus calls us to go to ALL the world to bring the needy to him. Our time is short. It’s time to celebrate the differences!
PRAYER: Father God, You have created such a beautiful world full of variety and harmony. I pray that we, as your followers would celebrate the differences you have given us. Show us how to live in harmony and set aside the things that divide us. Please start with me. In Jesus name, Amen.
Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 1 Peter 3:8
I love rock and roll even though many people from my generation are somewhat skeptical or even antagonistic towards it. I enjoy the ‘new’ music styles that have infiltrated our churches as well. Our music tells us a lot about our life philosophy and we do ourselves an injustice if we get so closed in that we only like one type of music.
It’s much like deciding that we will only like carrots. So all of our lives we only eat carrots; breakfast, lunch & dinner—carrots! Pretty dull life and not even healthy.
Imagine if all the flowers were green, the grass was green, the sky was green, even the milk you pour on your breakfast cereal was green. Even if you like green you’d have to admit that we’d be tired of green and long for a few other colors.
Life lived to its fullest means that it’s full of a variety of experiences, feelings, gifts, talents abilities, likes and dislikes. Just as there are no two snowflakes that are alike, there are no two people alike. Yet when the snowflakes join together they paint the landscape with beauty and purity.
Peter calls each of us as Christ-followers to be like minded. When I think of what like-minded means I think of harmony in music, especially in a quartet. We don’t hear much harmony in our music these days but if were to listen to a really good quartet or small group in perfect harmony you’d hear some great lessons for life.
Perfect harmony means that it’s hard to distinguish who is singing which part. Each person has their own notes to sing, their own personalities, and their own tone. But the differences blend so well that it sounds like one voice. If one person is off key by only a little, the harmony is completely destroyed.
Perfect harmony means relationship. In music we call it practice or rehearsal but it’s really the same thing. The performers must build a team spirit among themselves to know when to change key or speed or even how and when to sing the words. If one person sings a word wrong, or the wrong word, or comes in too early or two late, the harmony is ruined. Practice, learning about each other, accepting each others own unique gifts and working within the framework of the music builds perfect harmony in both music and life.
Perfect harmony allows for solos and variations, or side trips. When done in harmony a solo, even though it focuses on one individual, is accentuated by the rest of the group. The soloist is much more effective in a small group when the group is supporting him/her.
Perfect harmony means that each performer is happy with their own part and not jealous of the other voices in the group. They know who they are and are content with that.
Perfect harmony is dependent on the realization that variety is a requirement and not an option. Just as in life, you may not fit into a particular group. That doesn’t mean you are less important or that the group you do find is better or worse than the other. It just means you fit in better there so that you can make beautiful harmony.
Perfect harmony allows for differences without judgment. Sing your life-notes in praise to the one who created the notes! God’s gift to you is music. Your gift to others is to sing!
PRAYER: Father, I praise you for the awesome variety of colors, smells, personalities and around me. My senses proclaim the wonder of your creation and I’m in awe of you. I ask that you would empower me by your spirit to ‘sing my notes’ the best I can. Keep me from feeling inadequate or desiring other people’s notes. May I, with your help, live in harmony with those around me. In Jesus name, Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 