Developing Unity
I shared last month that developing unity with others is essential for the success and health of any family, business, church or organization. We cannot walk together in a common vision or purpose without some measure of agreement and unity. Unity is not automatic; it is something to work toward in our relationships.
In the book of Ephesians 4:3, Paul told the people "endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Paul was encouraging them to "make every effort" to have unity. To achieve unity we must recognize that it is the responsibility of every person involved and must be earnestly pursued. Can you imagine a basketball team trying to win a game with every player on the court wanting to run their own plays? It's a ludicrous thought, yet so often this essential ingredient of success is missing in our interaction with others. Here are some of the practical steps that can be taken to develop unity.
The first step is to communicate with everyone involved that each one has a responsibility to achieve unity. James confirms this principle: "you can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor." (James 3:18 The Message) Building real relationships takes commitment, hard work, and treating others with respect and honor.
Another step is to focus on what we have in common, not our differences. God has given us different personalities, giftings, backgrounds, races, and preferences. Learn to value and enjoy the differences, not merely tolerate them. God wants unity, not uniformity! When we focus on personalities, preferences, styles or methods - division always happens. Choose to encourage others in their abilities and giftings, rather than criticize their weak areas or differences. Too often we focus on the differences or weak areas that we see in others, rather than seeing the positive in others.
A third step is to be realistic in your expectations of relationships with others. Have you noticed that there is a gap between the "ideal" and "real"? It's easy to become discouraged and to find fault and criticize others. Society and the church are made up of imperfect people, and you will be let down and disappointed at some point with others. If we have unreal expectations of others, we are creating a scenario where they will fail to meet our expectations which will cause us to become disappointed or offended with them.
Remember the acronym T.E.A.M. defined is "Together Everyone Accomplishes More!" When we become one in heart and spirit, we together accomplish more and have the blessing of real relationships with others.
Bob Sawvelle is the Sr. Pastor at Tucson Area Christian Fellowship. He is married to Carolyn, and they have three daughters. He can be reached at 325-2045.
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