You must

Get Along

Paul has a word for the Christians of his day. Perhaps it is also a word for those of us who are Christians today.

Reading through the Bible…Psalm 103-4/I Corinthians 1-2

I include in my greeting all who call out to Jesus, wherever they live. (I Corinthians 1:2)

Paul starts out his letter to the Corinthians with a shout out to Christians, to all those who call out to Jesus.

Paul is not a Zionist, speaking exclusively to Jews. He is not a nationalist, elevating only Corinthians. Paul give thanks for anyone and everyone who calls on the name of Jesus, wherever they live.

Paul focuses not on people’s nationality or nation, but on their affiliation. He zeroes in, not on where people live, but who they follow. In spite of the title of the letter, He writes not only to Corinthians but to all Christians.

Paul gives a shout out to those who have faith.

Every time I think of you—and I think of you often!—I thank God for your lives of free and open access to God, given by Jesus. (I Corinthians 1:4)

However, he also calls out those who fight.

I have a serious concern to bring up with you, my friends, using the authority of Jesus, our Master. I’ll put it as urgently as I can: You must get along with each other. You must learn to be considerate of one another, cultivating a life in common. (I Corinthians 1:10)

Writing…

Paul calls out the Christians of his day. Paul’s calls out Christians today as well.

85% of Ukrainians identify themselves as Christians (KIIS), Roughly 60% to 80% of the people in Russia are Christians as well (Google AI). Finally, approximately 62% of adults in the United States identify as Christian, according to a recent Pew Research Center study

Don’t all of us who call ourselves Christians-American, Russians and Ukrainians-have a responsibility to get along.

Blessed are the peacemakers, says Jesus. Isn’t that us?

Matthew reminds us:

“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:19-20)

Building…

We as Christians must continue to pray for world uniting diplomacy. We must claim Matthew’s promise for two or three nations-or more if you include our European allies.

We can and should expect world leaders to get along. However, we don’t have to wait for them. Everyday there are opportunities to be peacemakers.

This morning Shomari and I join with a few other men for some Matthew 18:19-20 prayers of agreement and some breakfast. We don’t, however, dress for success. He puts on his Spartan shirt. I wear my block M.

We have reasons to disagree:

A Wolverine and a Spartan.

A Black man and a White man.

A Young man and a slightly Older man :)

We have reasons to disagree. However, we have a call from Paul to get along…

So do you!