“And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul…”
(Acts 4:32a)
Unity is hard to create and easy to lose. It is found in a common vision and service. The early church was knit together as one because they were all actively serving Christ day by day, sacrificing for that service, and sharing in persecution for their faith together. The active nature of their service, sacrifice, and persecution led to unity of heart and soul. They were all in the same proverbial “foxhole”, and it banded them together as brothers and sisters.
Conversely, unity is lost when we aren’t expecting anything of each other but to show up on Sunday and be entertained. We become consumers of religion instead of soldiers for the King… and consumers are notoriously fickle and picky. We become picky about how we are treated, picky about decisions the shepherds make, and fickle in our willingness to volunteer because it doesn’t match what we feel like doing. Service is replaced with complaints, and expectations of ourselves are replaced by expectations of what others ought to be doing.
In short, unity begins with asking yourself what you can give up for the body and what you can do to help. Are there prayers to be lifted up to God, elderly to care for, the fatherless to be raised, lost to be reached, or babes in Christ to be encouraged? Of course! Pick one and get to work.
Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites