Like-Mindedness

Remember what is was like to be young? You went to Sunday School, and they explained things to you, and you said to yourself, "Oh so that's what those verses mean."

But a day came when you grew up a bit. Someone challenged your thinking. Someone interpreted a verse a little bit differently than you always had.

Many of us may have gone back to look more closely at our time honored perspectives, to see if maybe they were only honored by time, and not necessarily by God. Others of us, just took the party line: "Well, if he doesn't think like me, he's certainly going straight to hell."

You know, as I aged, I thought it was only my particular religious background that had those staunch supporters who claimed we were the only Christians. I've found out since then, however, that many of my friends had similar dogmatic leaders, only with different signs above their church doors.

Now as I read various authors and theologians and listen to a variety of speakers, I see there are so many different voices out there. But how can we have such diversity of thought about the same 66 books that make up our Bible? Does this demonstrate an evolving or maturity of belief in the Christian world? Or, when Christ prayed for unity, is this what He was guarding against?

Diversity in itself is not a bad thing. In so many ways it can be healthy. It challenges us to define our opinions and ideas more solidly; it gives us insight into the minds of others. It can build understanding. But it also has the potential to separate and divide, to hurt and ridicule. It can compromise truth.

I think division is one of Satan's greatest tools. If he can keep us nitpicking each other's doctrinal beliefs, he keeps us from being effective witnesses to a hurting and lost world. That same lost world would rather deal with its own pain than trust us to show them the way.

God have mercy on us.

What's the answer? How do we walk a line that honors God in faithfulness, but gives room for grace? I think the answer is back in a conversation Christ had with His disciples before His crucifixion (recorded in John 13). After giving them an example of servitude by washing the dusty feet of 12 undeserving men, He said to them,

"A new command I give you: love one another."

But He didn't stop there. He made another point. There is one way to discern if someone belongs to Christ. Jesus continued,

"By this all men will know that you are my disciples. If you love one another."

Does the world know that I'm His disciple? For that matter, can my fellow Christians tell that I'm His disciple? Or do I walk around with blinders on, refusing to see Christ in my neighbor because of my love affair with my own opinions?

I think one day when Christ calls us all home, some of us may be surprised to see who all we bump into. Until then, I'm reminded of Bambi, and what he says to his mother as they traipse through the woods:

"We're not the only deer in the forest, you know."