"Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful."~ Colossians 3:13-15 NIV
As strange as this may sound, when I was a young child I loved the smell of the school paste that was so readily available for classrooms in the 1960's. I remember taking globs of glue out of the container and smearing it all over my paper so that I could paste on my cutout art pieces. I would try to press the lumps out of the pictures, but even after it dried, it seemed that my artwork had taken on a wavy characteristic. As I carried home each piece, I was so excited and proud of what I had accomplished. I had taken something ordinary and in my mind made it extraordinary.
Putting things together with glue is not always an easy task. If you've ever tried to put tiny and dainty pieces back on an object with glue, you know it can be a challenge. It's not easy work. It can be frustrating.
I love the Bible verses that Paul wrote above that make me feel comforted and uncomfortable at the same time. He writes, "Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony." It makes me hum the song, "Bind us Together." When we stand in a circle and sing this song with hands locked in one another, it's a great feeling, but what happens when we leave the circle? Somehow that bonding loses something. That's where letting Christ rule our hearts comes into the equation.
Often times, it is so much easier to look at how others aggravate or annoy us than it is to think of ways we aggravate or annoy other people. We can blame it on circumstances, but when it comes down to it, it is a personal decision how we react and how we treat one another. I wish that meant we could all agree on everything. However, God created each of us unique and special, and honestly, we don't always think alike. So, how do people that don't think or act alike bond in perfect harmony as the verse asks us to do?
Living in perfect harmony seems to require two basic elements that are love and respect. If we are bound by love and respect, I think the verse above that says, "Let the peace that comes from Christ rule your hearts" is asking us to dig deeper. If we allow Christ to rule our hearts, we become peaceful people rather than offensive creatures. If someone tells you that they are voting a different way than you are, you focus on the love and respect you have for them rather than thinking they are wrong. If a friend's faith leads them to believe in a different way than you do, you focus on the love and respect you have for them rather than judging them. It's that simple and that difficult all at the same time.
God does call us to be bound together. Remember the glue I wrote about earlier? You may end up with a few lumps or having to be very careful when you use glue. Things may not look quite the way you would like them to, but remember that little girl that came home with that dried wavy and lumpy artwork? It brought her happiness and joy even though it wasn't perfect. As we work to bind together as Christians, we have to remember that binding together may not always be pretty. We may have to sacrifice our pride and assertions at times for what God asks us to do. If Christ rules our heart, and we put love and respect into all relationships, we can trust that God will help us find peace within our hearts. If we learn to trust, God can take ordinary relationships and turn them into extraordinary ones.
Heavenly Father,
As we come together in groups of two or more, remind us that you are the glue that can hold all things together. Help us to extend love and respect to all people regardless of their circumstances. We know it's not an easy task, but we trust that you will help us find peace in our hearts as we do our best to honor your teachings.
Amen.
