Unity

            As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:1-6)

 

Who is your team? Do you have people you turn to when the going gets tough? I know that most people will say that their family is their team. They may fight like cats and dogs most of the time, but when they’re needed, they pull together in a blink of an eye. And I know I have family members who care about me, but they don’t live nearby. They’re more the cheering section than the team. There’s no blame in it – it’s just the way life goes sometimes – and cheering sections are important, too.

But Scripture tells us that our team is the Body of Christ, which means the people in the pews around us. We are called to work together for the good of the other members of the team and for the good of those around us in the world. We are called to love one another, to honor one another, to be unified.

It’s embarrassing to call on my team for help. I don’t want to seem weak, incompetent, or needy. That means I tend to separate myself from everyone else – not because I’m better than they are, but because it’s embarrassing to need other people. This is one of those things that I’m struggling with. For most of my life, if I needed help, I called my father. He was one of those MacGyver types who knew how to do stuff. Now, I’m having to call other people and admit my lack. It doesn’t matter that other people lack the knowledge of how to do everything. The fact that I don’t grates.

A book I read suggested asking people for help at least once a day, until you get over the need to be self-sufficient. Now that’s a challenge.