The Problem of Dis-Unity
The Problem of Dis-Unity
Can We Solve This? Yes We Can!
A Question For You: Do you have any reward points for hotel stays that you’d like to donate? I’m finally making plans to go to London for an exploratory visit for my music this December, and need a little help with lodging. Email me and let me know! Thanks!
We’re Experiencing An Epidemic of Division
I don’t think anybody would argue with me that we are experiencing a major epidemic of disunity in our culture. I’m not sure if our division is more intense than it’s ever been but it certainly is louder than it’s ever been. And perhaps more personal than it’s ever been, with even the closest relationships being sacrificed on the altar of presumed-rightness.
Can our faith hold the answer to this societal dilemma? I believe yes.
Some Christians would argue that unity isn’t anything that we should be striving for, and that the more aligned with the truth we are, the more division we’ll expect to experience with other people. This sounds completely nuts to me, but I have, in fact, had people argue with me online about this point. What happened to “And they’ll know we are Christians by our love?”
The more aligned we are with Love, the more unity we’ll experience with other people. Love aligns us.
I continually claim John 17:21 - “That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you” as proof that Jesus desired unity, in response to the division he saw, in particular, that which was created by those who lived with religious-rightness as their primary occupation.
If you’re not feeling much hope lately, I encourage you to think about how loved you feel you are by God, and how that might affect how you show love (and the amount of it) to other people.
To be rooted in love means to be so firmly convinced of the unbelievable, unconditional love of God. This is the firm foundation your life can rest upon. There’s nothing you can do to change it. You can’t make God love you more based on your actions…which also means (this might make your head explode!) you can’t make God love you any less based on your actions. You are so loved.
This is not a love-but kind of love that says, “I love you…but…” The but negates anything said prior. God loves you. No buts.
The only way you can’t look at every other single person as also being completely loved by God is if you think you’ve done something to earn it. Why can’t other people just be good like me? Or have the right theological beliefs like I do?
When you are convinced of how loved you are, you’re freed to show other people the same kind of no-buts love you’ve been shown.
This kind of extraordinary love allows us to move closer to people who are different than us. It allows us to reach out and help people we see in need. It compels us to seek to bring healing and wholeness where it’s needed. And as we get closer to others, we find out how much we actually have in common. The things that make us truly human…our desire to give and receive love, experience connection, and discover meaningful things to do…are shared by all of us.
When we aren’t convinced of God’s unconditional love for us, we settle for score-keeping as a way of continually trying to be assured that we’re loved…cause look at how good I am! This is how I’ve lived most of life—thinking that God’s (and most people’s) love came and went based on my goodness or badness, like the tide of an ocean. So, I got really good at being good. And in turn, really good at judging others. I’m so relieved to be done with that kind of living. The heavy yoke of performance-based living has literally been lifted off my neck. The burden of love is light.
Making It Practical
Think about a person who is loving (or has loved) you particularly well. What makes their love so compelling? Did you feel like you had to “perform” for them to earn their love?
How much do you think God loves you? How much is God disgusted by you? What are you basing your beliefs on?
Who is someone in your life that you’ve been holding back love from…until they get their act together? What might it look like to unconditionally love them, even in their imperfect form?
Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture.
I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.
—Romans 8:38-39 (MSG)
( This was a portion of my essay dated Feb 16, 2022.)
Thank you, Mark! This is an amazingly well-timed essay since I recently decided to do a study on God's love for me. Why? Because "There is no fear in love. But perfect love (God's love) drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment" (1 John 4:18). Because I judged others, I assumed they were judging me too, and it wasn't a particularly comfortable way to live. Plus, to my knowledge, I never changed anyone's mind by arguing or debating with them. I've learned it's okay if we don't agree on every point. What we each choose to believe - and how we live our lives - is between us and God. I - like most people - was raised with the "do good get good, do bad get beat" mentality, Now, I'm trying to reprogram my thoughts by focusing on God's grace and seeking a better, deeper, more comprehensive understanding of His unconditional love for me, which will hopefully replace all my fears with a firmly grounded peace: peace with God, myself, and others. In other words, I hope to one day get to where you're at. :)