MAY 12| 1 Corinthians 1:10-17

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DAILY READING

1 Corinthians 1:10-17

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REFLECTION

Be Perfectly United

by Judy Webb

I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. 1 Corinthians 1:11 (NIV)

Oh, what a perfect world that would be! One could only imagine the impact life without fighting and disagreements would be like. But our world isn’t likely to reflect peace and serenity because Satan loves chaos, and he will do everything he can to insert madness and confusion into our everyday life.

Arguments and disagreements fuel his evil purposes. His objective is to keep us busy and distracted so that we are ineffective in our mission. I am giving this some thought as I reflect on this and how obedience to God’s Word can be life changing. Paul is teaching us the importance of loving each other. He is convincing his followers to embrace and respect their neighbor.

There is a note in my Bible in the margin next to verse 10 which reads: Never have your own agenda. Isn't that what this is all about? Disharmony in the church is the result of disunity and pursuing our own agendas.

Our church community can be a breeding ground for discontent and disruption if we don’t stay vigilant and alert to the ways of Satan who prowls the earth like a lion looking for prey. The evil one wants to halt our effectiveness in the world. Our church family is prime for his devious ways. When we argue, gossip, and chinwag (don’t you love this word?), we destroy unity and undermine the work of the church in the world.

PRAYER PRACTICE

Dear Jesus,

I pray you will give us the grace and wisdom to recognize when we might be seeking our own agenda and not Yours. Teach us to speak lovingly to and about one another. Amen.