“May God Give You The Spirit Of Unity!”

“May God Give You The Spirit Of Unity!”
The greatest weakness in the body of Christ is a divided Church. To parody Bishop David Oginde of “Christ the Answer Ministry”, the time when the church is highly divided is during service time. It is “each man to his tent.”
The question that has defied any answer is, “How do you create unity out of a divided Church?” The Bishop raised this question in the context of the role of the church in advocating for peace in a context of war. Who will believe that you are highly recommended as a designer tailor if your own design fits so poorly on you?
Nothing undermines the words of the prophet like the life of the prophet. How then does a fragmented church that has not put her house in order be a peace broker if she is not a pacesetter?
When people of the same congregation and the same denomination out of ego, greed and avarice are torn apart in rivalry, eaten up with hatred and when they see competitors as agents of Satan, how can they initiate peace? Talk less of denominations against each other as if the body of Christ is fragmented!
Abraham Lincoln asked, “Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?” If it is true that you go farther with friends than with enemies, then the more friends you have, the farther you can go.
Paul advises that “we who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbour for his good…” But even so, if you are going to help others in case of an emergency in the plane, you must put your own oxygen mask first so as to breath normally before you can help others.
To say we can come out to mediate peace in a fragmented society like ours, we must begin from the house. Paul’s desire for us is that “…God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,” accepting one another, “just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God”(Rom.15:1-7).
My friend, when the strong bear the failings of the weak, working in collaboration and not in competition, divisions and vindictiveness, then the name of the Lord will be glorified. We would thus be able to speak and enforce peace in the midst of chaos and mayhem! Anything short of this will be bedlam!
Prayer: Holy Spirit lead me to be my brother’s keeper and not his killer so that God’s name may be glorified. Amen!
Have a blessed weekend! Peace be with you!