Divided we fall. Dis-unity. Hurt feelings. Hard feelings. Forgiving when it's not fair. Hard stuff. Human stuff. God forgive us for the way we fight You. For the way we devour each other. For the way we simply ignore those around us that are silently suffering. For the love! Can we not just get along? That does not require us to agree, but mutually working at getting along goes a long way in building relationships that are fractured. There are a wide variety of circumstances and experiences acquired growing up that certainly mold who we become. Children seem to have this knack for telling it like it is, getting mad, crying about it, then forgiving and forgetting a day or so later. A lovely mixture of a bless-ed wounded soul that battles on and merges with our individual God-given personality and adult is born. For better or worse a "grown up" arrives.
Reflecting a lot recently has brought me to share this journal excerpt. It is good to think back and remember, to ponder choices made and realize what has led me to who I am today.
What I've become is an accumulation of some fantastic childhood memories--playing Chinese jump rope at morning recess and completing all the tricks, riding bikes all over the little town my Grandma Black lived in and not having a care in the world, eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (lots of jelly) at my Aunt Karen’s house and washing it down with cherry Kool-ade, going to my brother's baseball games and cheering as loud as I wanted, taking my little sister skating at the Carthage roller rink. Doing "gymnastics" on my dad's two best sawhorse's and thinking i was really something. Loving doing school work. Loving all the awesome recesses we had (3 a day) My favorite teacher- Mr. Bivens. He was the best! Later on kissing all the boys I wanted to and not dating them, going to the movies on Friday nights in Carthage, sneaking out with my best friend and egging a neighbor's mailbox (bad decision) staying all night with my cousin's and playing sardines until it was too dark to see and only going inside because we could smell chocolate chip cookies.
Then all of the not so great memories like being mocked because your last name rhymes really well with a potty word, long car rides home (20 -30 minutes used to seem really long) listening to crazy repetitious stories from Miss Wilson. (She was such a kind soul to give us rides to and from school.) Feeling like I didn’t fit in at parochial school. Missing my dad who worked construction out of state until I was in Highschool, climbing a tree in 5th grade that led to a fall, concussion and visit to the ER (the beginning of years of headaches), and two years later another tree incident. Playing touch football at recess I ran smack dab into an enormous oak tree and ended up with a black eye - just in time for our Christmas program that I had a speaking part in. There were break ups, let downs and left out times. Making the all-star team three times, only to be the bench warmer. I am also ashamed to admit that I quit halfway through a sports season in Highschool, I had my reasons then, but regret not sticking it out and finishing. Getting a degree but not enjoying the occupations it led to. Then later a failed marriage. Some broken dreams. Lots of change. Lots of tears.
Oh yeah, where was I? Disunity. Divided we fall. The bible has a lot to say about disunity. "He knew what they were thinking and told them, 'Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand'." Matthew 12:25 It is obvious that our Lord knew we would quarrel and argue about things. He also knows our insides, our thoughts and motives. The reason I share the things of my past is twofold: (1) if you think you know someone- well, maybe you don't and (2) if there is ever a time to recognize that people have different backgrounds and circumstances that form who they are and who they become it is NOW.
By the grace of God you and I can be forgiven, warts and all. It is a big challenge to see people, to have compassion or empathy for them and still disagree with them in kindness. I do not have to agree with someone to get along with them or even to show them Jesus love. When we can learn to be ourselves, stand side by side, and still work together we have accomplished a lot. "And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus" 1 Thessalonians 5:14-18. One of the things I loved about my crazy, loud, rambunctious graduating class (CHS 1986) was that people could disagree and still be on each others side. Having a disagreement does not have to lead to disunity. We become mentally flabby when we always concur with whomever we are talking to. As I stated earlier getting along does not require us to always agree. Fellowship is fostered by allowing others to have their own viewpoint without shaming, mocking or chastising them.
May it be the effort of our community to care about one another enough to be honest, forthright, and in service to the Kingdom. Could we also lay aside the undertaking of persuading others of something that is simply an opinion. For the sake of unity. For standing together. Because that is what will foster regard and harmony. Can we "see" each other without seeing through each other. Unified in Christ. "United we stand, divided we fall. And if our backs should ever be against the wall, we'll be together, together- you and I."(Patrick Henry or Brotherhood of Man)
