How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity. Psalm 133:1
Isn’t that a wonderful verse? When we say brothers, we must grasp that we are not speaking of brothers in a biological family but brothers and sisters in Christ. When I drive through traffic, I encounter people driving very unkindly, yet when I enter the church, I see a big difference with those in the family of God! There are more smiles, deep-down joy, acceptance, gentleness, contentment, and unity because we know we are brothers and sisters in the family of God.
I remember a friend who had retired as a missionary to the Philippines and was given a job by his organization to visit missionaries around the world—to be an encourager every day for a week, and to return with a report. Many times, he flew into cities and was picked up by someone known to him only as a Christian, a brother in Christ. That made all the difference in the world, and there was a precious bond between them right from the beginning, as they were united by Christ.
Romans 12:16 encourages us to “Live together in harmony…”, and Romans 15:5 ( NLT) says, “May God, who gives us patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony (unity) with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus”; Colossians 3:14 adds, “Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony (unity).” And the book of Proverbs, as you can imagine, has many verses about how wonderful it is when we live in unity.
This godless world is not in unity, but we know what loving unity is by being in the family of God. We understand that God’s Spirit is always with us, that he lives within us, and continues to mold us into someone who embodies the wonderful exhortations of the Bible to live together in unity. Let us radiate this love and bring others into the joy of being part of the family of God! May many more come to know our Savior, Jesus Christ, and to know the joy of living in unity.
by Jill Heinold
