The Set-Up:
How well do you get along with people?
Do you ever struggle with getting along with fellow believers, or fellow members of your church fellowship?
In today’s passage, the apostle Paul seems to prioritize healthy relationships in the Body of Christ as a clear sign of mature discipleship in our lives. He gives us a concrete example of an obstacle to reaching that goal of maturity — we could call it “clickiness,” (f that’s a word), but another word might be tribalism. Tribalism is when we overly cling to our little friendship groups, to the exclusion of others. That could result from our focus on politics, our age group, our cultural preferences, or our favorite interpretations of controversial Bible doctrines. Whatever the root of it is, our passage challenges us to get out of our comfort zones and make it a point to connect regularly with fellow believers who don’t look, act, or think exactly like us.
Passage to Read:
Reflection Questions:
Do you have any pet peeves? If so, do they ever cause you to be rude or unloving towards others? Write down a list of them and invite God to give you a softer heart towards people who easily annoy you.
In our passage, how many different “groups” can you identify? What kinds of disagreements do you think they may have had with each other?
Choose a “hot-button issue” that gets people worked up these days. Have one meaningful conversation with those around you this week, and try to listen to others’ views more than you declare your own.
Prayer Idea:
Who are the (even slightly) annoying people in your life? Regardless of the reasons why they frustrate you, put them on your prayer list for a week, asking God to bless them and show them His love.