Growing in Love—Living in Unity

Growing in Love—Living in Unity

In the church, we experience glorious fellowship with sincere, God-fearing people, genuine love, peace, and unity. But even here we encounter circumstances that can hurt us, make us feel insecure and disappoint us. Perhaps a decision is made that we cannot understand. A thoughtless word spoken that hits us hard. Or just a feeling: “I don’t quite belong, I’m not noticed, I’m not understood.” And suddenly thoughts pop into our heads: A distance. A slight bitterness. A hint of mistrust.

When we encounter weaknesses, mistakes, tensions, and injustices, we see our own nature: Envy, impatience, withdrawal, accusation . . . This is precisely where the problem lies—not in my surroundings, not in the other people who deal with me and my faults, but in me, in my flesh!

“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleaness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Gal. 5:19-21.

“Looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.” Heb. 12:15. Let us watch out that we don’t start glancing critically at people, that our love doesn’t grow cold. My children, those closest to me, the ones we love so much and only want the best for, we also put them at risk of falling out of love and getting offended.

Jesus asks us: “For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?” Matt. 5:46. Divine love manifests itself when there is no response. When misunderstandings continue. Where wounds do not heal immediately.

“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” Matt. 5:44-45. He exhorts us to remain in love just as our Father in heaven does. He makes His sun rise on the evil and the good—even on those who don’t notice me, who I don’t feel understand me or like me. It rises on those who I find to be either sympathetic or unsympathetic. “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Matt. 5:48.

Everyone who follows this rule, who purifies themselves just as He is pure, will experience fellowship, peace, and mercy. Paul describes it so clearly: “Put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.” Col. 3:12-14.

A gentle response. A friendly look. Listening. To esteem the other person, who I “don’t like very much,” better than myself. To forgive from the heart, knowing that I myself have received so much forgiveness. Then hardness and mercilessness disappear. Then everything that separates us disappears. In this way, we help to forge bonds of fellowship in our surroundings.

“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” John 17:20-21. Our unity is a powerful testimony of the work God is doing in us and among us. May God give us grace and strength to grow in love and unity. Then our children and our loved ones, will experience that purity and unity are increasing in the brotherhood, and that the life of Jesus is becoming manifest. In this way, through our example, they can come to faith in Him.