Ephesians
4:1-6 1As a prisoner for the LORD, then, I urge you to live
a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2Be completely
humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3Make
every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit,
just as you were called to one
hope when you were called; 5one LORD, one faith, one baptism; 6one
God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Recently I have had the opportunity to witness both those
that call themselves liberals and conservatives. Both groups to my embarrassment
spew hatred and are unified in it. My take and opinion on these partisan discussions
is:
“STOP IT”!
I have never considered myself the one who has all the
answers, if fact I would call myself a working (blue shirt, with a white
collar) preacher. I have no dreams of teaching at the seminary or writing the
latest or greatest theological primer for the world. I am the product of a working-class
union family, that had the opportunity to achieve higher learning.
I have always professed that I am neither conservative or
liberal, I am in the middle. All too often I’m in the middle of people that can’t
get along, people that often profess to call themselves followers of Christ. Yes,
like many people (hopefully most people), I, (we) have had enough of those (even preachers) that
profess the world over who Christ calls us all to be .
Beloved, most of the world just wants to get along, work,
and raise families in peace, and in the way that they believe. Yes, God wants
us to be happy and prosperous, but also wants us to share these blessings with
those that have not. Likewise, God wants us work and to share and provide for ourselves,
instead of seeking handouts, and instead of seeking ways for others to provide
for us.
Many of us want women respected and to have all the same
opportunities as men. Many of us want women, men, and children to feel safe from physical,
sexual, and emotional abuse. Many of us want those that have been victimized to feel safe in reporting their abusers. Many of us also agree that false accusations can and will harm the legitimacy of those who have truly been abused.
Likewise, many of us who follow Christ, can agree
on the basics of our faith, things that we all can agree on. We all want to go
to heaven and each and everyone of us is doing what we feel is right as to
achieve the goal of heaven.
When we spend more time in dispute instead of unity, when we
find ourselves so polarized that neither side or group can function, we have
truly failed to love others as Christ loves us! My prayer for us all today comes
from the Ephesians text:
1. live a life worthy of the calling
you have received.
2. Be completely humble and gentle; be
patient, bearing with one another in love.
3. Make every effort to keep the unity of
the Spirit through the bond of
peace.
4. There is one body and one Spirit, just
as you were called to one hope
when you were call by by God.
5. One God and Father of all, who is over
all and through all and in all.
Just Stop!
Stop being prisoners of the world, prisoners of
political party. Prisoners of I am right, and you are wrong, and our way or the
highway. Instead become prisoners of the Lord. Be worthy, be humble, gentle,
and patient. Unify in love and peace, through the Spirit of Hope in the name of
One God, Father of all.
In unity, and in the name of Christ Jesus (who died for ALL).
