How do we find unity when we disagree? - July 7
Today’s Readings:AM Psalm 5, 6; PM Psalm 10, 11; Num. 35:1-3,9-15,30-34; Rom. 8:31-39; Matt. 23:13-26
Perusing today’s lessons, I am finding lots of good possibilities for exploration. We have a powerful bridge between the secular and religious worlds in Numbers where the Israelites are instructed to set up towns and are then commanded with God’s laws on how to be fair and just to all including the transient alien among them. There is a commandment not to defile the earth, and how the spilling of blood pollutes what God dwells in. If I really wanted to exegete this passage (and I am not going to go there) I am sure that where I end up will upset plenty of readers and not go far enough for others. And the irony of this is the New Testament passage paired with this reading is all about unity. When these two passages are read in dialogue, we get to have a pretty interesting conversation (and I am going to go there).
In Paul’s epistle to the Roman’s (v. 8:38-39), Paul offers one of the most beautiful passages in all of Scripture: “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” I have preached using this passage probably more than any other line in all of Scripture. But I often jump here skipping what Paul has offered just prior to these verses. Paul suggests that the separation from God that we are considering is not one image, or person, or one divisive belief, but hardship, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness (not sure quite what that means), peril, or sword. The challenges we face in life, not explicitly each other, causes us to feel separated from God.
As much as I want to blame other humans for the divisiveness that we experience, a better approach might be to consider the root of the stress that plagues our society. We blame humans, but Covid-19, violence, inequality, sin, racism, are not only often at the root of the divisiveness but much larger than any one individual. Yes, individuals play an enormous role in perpetuating the divisiveness and are sometimes the cause of aggravating or activating the root cause, but seeing the root as much larger than the individual may allow us to enter back into conversation with our sisters and brothers with whom we disagree.
How do we find unity when we disagree so vehemently with each other? One suggestion could be to see unity not as a common mind, but a commitment to not let the underlying issues that cause our divisions to fracture the sacred commitment to be in relationship with each other. How is that possible? Answer: Jesus Christ and the Love of God. That’s Paul’s answer, and its good enough for me too.
— John+
Questions for Self-Reflection
How have your relationships with people changed in the last few months?
Where have relationships been enriched and where have they been strained?
Daily Challenge
Think of a person with whom you seem to disagree on about everything. Name three concerns that you likely share.