Many Positions, One Unified Spirit

Scripture

 Ephesians 4:1-8, 11-13

  I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, ² with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ³ making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ⁴ There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all..

⁷ But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. ⁸ Therefore it is said,

“When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive;
    he gave gifts to his people...”

 ¹¹ The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, ¹² to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, ¹³ until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.  (NRSV)

Devotion

Today's post marks the end of our three-part series on how to be faithful together during times of disagreement.   The Presbyterian Peacemaking Program recommends making three basic commitments that can help us transform our differences "into opportunities for growth, grace, and understanding.  We can promise to:

1. Give them a hearing...listen before we answer (John 7:51 and Proverbs 18:13)
2. Speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15)
3. Maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:3)

Today we will unpack the third promise: maintaining the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.

We live in divisive times.  People would much rather surround themselves only with folks who agree with them than make the time and effort to stay in relationship with those who see things differently.  For all the wonderful things the internet and social media have done for us, they can also create echo chambers where everyone thinks, talks, and acts like we do.  The longer we exist in those spaces, the further we drift away from and learn to distrust those with other viewpoints.

Christ, though, doesn't want us to divide into separate little cliques where everyone is exactly the same.  Paul explains that although we are different people who have been given unique perspectives and gifts, we are still one body of Christ.  As members of that single, unified body, we are to use our gifts to build each other up and work together for the glory of Christ's church as we mature in faith.  The goal isn't uniformity.  It is unity in difference...especially during times of disagreement.

The Presbyterian Peacemaking Program lists several ways that we can strive to remain united in spirit:  

1. When we disagree with one another on a subject, we can make a point of acknowledging where we agree with one another as well.  For instance, we might differ on how to address poverty in our community, but we agree that people need help meeting certain needs.  Finding our common ground can help us discuss our differences in a productive and unified manner.
2. When our discussions become pasisonate, vigorous, or tense, we can seek to stay in community with one another.  Nothing will get done if we take our proverbial ball and go home every time we become upset.  When we commit to staying in community, we make room for our tempers to cool, our hearts to ponder one another's viewpoints, and our positions to change/mature.  Most importantly, we create a space where we can become ready to forgive and be forgiven.
3. We can urge people with various points of view to speak, listen attentively, and promise to seriously consider their positions.  We all want to know that our thoughts and feelings are valued by others.  Knowing that we have been truly listened to can go a long way towards helping us come to terms with a decisions we may not always like.  It can also make us more willing to keep working with the people with whom we have disagreed.
4. We can try to make decisions informed by our points of agreement.  Rather than turning a disagreement into competition in which there are winners and losers, this strategy helps us work towards acceptable compromises.
5. We can be sensitive to the feelings and concerns of those who do not agree with the majority.  God alone is the Lord of Conscience, and we should respect the way the Holy Spirit moves in others. As we do so, we pave the way for our continued ministry together.
6. We can pray about our disagreement. Our prayers should ask the Holy Spirit to help us  listen attentively, speak clearly, and remain open to the vision God holds for all.
7. We can abide by the decision of the majority.  Ignoring a decision or attempting to stage a coup usually does more harm than good.  If we think a decision should be changed, we can seek that change by the taking steps that are consistent with the strategies outlined above. 

 Follwing these steps can seem like a lot of work, but I have seen the miraculous things that can happen when we do so.  In 2016, I was blessed to be selected as a student assistant at the the 220th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).  While I was there, the committee I was serving had a major and unexpected disagreement about a proposed action.  I won't go into details, but people had strong feelings on the subject.  As the debate went on, a few people became so upset they had to excuse themselves for a bit. Through all the tension and anxiety, committee members did their best to respect one another as they listened to different points of view, articulated their own feelings, and prayed for discernment.  

After the vote, the committee's leaders took time out to pray for God to bless the decision that had been reached and help us move forward in a spirit of unity.  During the prayer, I could sense the Holy Spirit relieving some of the tension in the room.  People who had been deeply opposed to each other's positions squeezed each other's hands and murmured soft words of encouragement.  When someone who had said very little throughout the disagreement came back from a brief break with enough fancy donuts to feed the entire room, I could tell that God was going to make everything be okay.  Soon, the committee was back to work as a unified group.

 Just a few days later, God would begin using the committee's decision in some unanticipated and amazing ways that helped protect children, the elderly, and minorities within the Presbyterian Church.  Through God's grace, the decision the committee reached ended up being the right one.  The entire committee--even those who disagreed with it--could be proud of their decision made possible.  People on the committee may have seen things differently, but when they worked together in a spirit of unity, they built up the body of Christ.

The next time we find ourselves needing to make a hard decision, let us work through our disagreements in a spirit of unity.  As we do so, we can trust that while we may not always agree with a particular decision, God will continue to do great things with and through us.  Together, we are Christ's church.  We have one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all.  Now let us go forth in a spirit of unity, trusting the the God who has made us one body will help us live into the hope of our calling.

 

Prayer

 Christ, we thank you for making us one people...different in our gifts, talents, and perspectives, but unified in faith in you.  Fill us with your love so that we may work through our disagreements and serve you in all things.  We know that your plans for the world are good, and we trust that you have made us instruments of your peace.  Amen.