Living in unity by Andy Kilen

How good and pleasant it is when brothers and sisters live together in unity!  Psalm 133: 1

The scripture tells us that all people are created in the image of God, the Creator of all and the one who sustains all life with His very breath.  That fact points to the idea that we all have something in common.  In the Psalms a truth that is revealed to us is that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalms 139:14) There is no discrimination in that truth.  Other words of truth from the Bible tell us that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) Again there is no discrimination in that truth. It also says that God’s plan to redeem his people is for all who call on the name of the Lord.  The ground at the foot of the cross is level for every tribe and language and people and nation. 

When I spend some time thinking about the people, I have relationships with I see we have far more in common than we have differences, without regard to their race, ethnic background, economic status or position in life.  With this being said the question arises “why so much division and disunity among men?  Should there be any reason that any one should feel second class and if we do, who takes responsibility for it?  Are we all willing to be honest with ourselves about our own prejudices and ask why or where do they come from?

The efforts of many around the world, our state and in our own community to make peace among men have not been very successful.  Conflicts are alive and well everywhere.  Nation against Nation, Religious and ethnic fighting, racial turmoil is in the news on a daily basis.  Crime has caused a great deal of unrest in our community.  The fact that a higher number of minorities make up the population that are incarcerated than in the community at large causes disunity.  The same is true with the disparity among minorities in education.  With many groups doing a good job of pointing to the problems, solutions seem to have eluded us.  Not just locally but around the world. 

Is healing possible for our fractured lives, communities and world?  Every day at Network for Life Rochester we see men, women and children whose lives have been broken and impacted by crime, addiction, injustice and prejudice, lives desperately needing and looking for love, lives needing to be restored to God, family and community.  Reconciliation and restoration began with acceptance in a community where they have a place to belong, a place where they contribute, a place to find forgiveness and where character can be built.  A place where community is more about giving than getting.  These are the values that make any community from our family to our world at large a place of peace that we all value and long for.  Restoring peace to our lives and community is recognizing a fact that is true about each of us.  We are all broken people. 

John Perkins wrote in Welcoming Justice:  God’s Movement Toward Beloved Community   

In our neighborhood we know that the family is broken and the community is broken.  What that really means is that each of us is broken.  We need a place to be healed by God’s grace.  We need a place where we learn to be together-where we develop the skills and the patience that it will take to give one another grace.

I don’t believe we can make that happen on our own.  The issues are too complex and overwhelming but all things are possible with God and we can be a part of it by first recognizing our own wrongs that have led to fractured relationships and then reaching out and engaging those in our community in true reconciliation not just integration.  We all live by grace.  It is only by God’s amazing Grace that we are saved.  Another fact that tells us that there is much about us that makes us alike.   

So, I urge you that as you do your time, right where you are, look at those around you and find the many things you have in common.  Want for them the same things you want for yourselves.  Love you neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:39  May the peace of God be with you.