Exist as one

  He will receive what is good from the Lord, and what is right and good from the God Who saves him. Such is the family of those who look for Him, who look for Your face, O God of Jacob. (Psalm 24:5-6)

Family - the complex intertwining of individual personalities, traits, and talents into one big conglomerate. Did I mention 'complex'? In the business industry, a conglomerate is often used to describe multiple 'divisions' of a corporation or multiple corporations who do 'business' together. Don't miss that part - the 'divisions' that come together to do 'business' with each other. Families are a bit like that at times - 'divisions' of the 'same blooded' members coming together to 'do business', but when they part again - they are still divided!

In the family of God there is no room for 'divisions'. In our earthly families there is also no room for 'divisions'. We don't 'come together' to just 'do business', regardless of whether we are referring to our earthly or heavenly families. We are supposed to come together to learn from each other, bringing needed support and encouragement to one another. Family life is complex, to say the least, but it is also quite rewarding. Did you take your first steps alone? Nope - in fact, someone helped you realize the strength of your own two legs, catching you when you toppled to one side or another, until you finally stood without wobbling and took those first steps.

We frequently hear the jokes about the 'in-laws', referring to them on occasion as the 'out-laws' in the family. There is always going to be some cousin whose ears are too big for his head, that aunt who is eccentric to the 'nth' degree, and the wayward teen struggling to find their identity with way too many tats and piercings. There will always be 'complex individuals' trying to mesh into a 'complex entity' we call family. Since we recognize the complexity, why is it we still create 'divisions'? Maybe it is because we find it easier to be divided than to work it out, so we are finally united. 

In the church, there is no room for division - Christ made that perfectly clear. Whether we do 'family' at home, in the office, our neighborhood, or even at church, divisive forces will always be at work. If we are to be united as one, it is time to recognize what those divisive forces may be and deal with them once and for all. Unity isn't 'won', but it can be 'lost'. It isn't 'made up', but it may require us to 'make up'. It won't exist when we are 'critical', but it is 'critical' that we exist as one, not many. Just sayin!