What makes a day good for you? Is it checking off everything on your to-do list? Maybe it’s spending time with someone you love. Or, maybe, it’s simply enjoying a few hours outside. I love all those things, but it’s an especially good day when I learn something new!
Through the thin, ink-filled pages of the Bible, I have learned that no matter how many times we read God’s love letter, there is always something new to discover. New connections begin to appear before our very eyes when we take the time to link simple truths together. Jewish Rabbis call this stringing pearls. One concept builds on another and another until our string of theology takes shape. Occasionally, however, gaining new insight requires us to remove a pearl of lesser value and replace it with one of great price.
Over the next few weeks, we’re going to string together some pearls I’ve overlooked for a long time and maybe even remove a few we placed there by mistake. You might already have a long strand of precious pearls in your collection, but I hope our time together helps each of our strands shine brighter.
Today’s pearl is, context matters. Right now, my Sunday morning small group is studying the book of Romans, my personal reading is in 1 Corinthians, and my women’s small group is exploring Colossians. That means I’m getting a heavy dose of Paul. What I’ve realized from studying these books simultaneously is how much Paul stresses purity and unity within the church. I had never caught his passion for unity before. I’m glad I picked up that pearl. Truly, there is no better way to show Jesus to the world than through a unified body of believers. As the church, we are the body of Christ!
For the Romans, Paul sought to unify Jewish and Gentile Christians. In Corinth, Christians were divided by socio-economic status—upper and lower classes, rich and poor. False teachers in the Colossian church were causing division by trying to diminish Jesus and lead them into empty philosophies. Every drop of ink Paul dropped into these letters must be understood within the context of building unity in the church.
Many of the things Paul writes about in these three letters are instructional and sometimes corrective (especially with Corinth), but more than that, they focus on the three things that last forever: faith, hope, and love. Faith in the one true God who sent Jesus as a gift to the world. This Gift offers hope (happy certainty) that we will live in the presence of God forever. But not only that, our eternity starts the moment we put our faith in Jesus. We step out of the fear of death because we get to live forever with Him. Because God loves us that much, we show our gratitude by loving Him back. That means loving His other kids. That means being unified.
So, now when I read the words of Paul, I continually ask myself, “How does this teach me about the heart of God and help me get along better with other Christians?”
“Now may God, the source of great endurance and comfort, grace you with unity among yourselves, which flows from your relationship with Jesus, the Anointed One. Then, with a unanimous rush of passion, you will with one voice glorify God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. You will bring God glory when you accept and welcome one another as partners, just as the Anointed One has fully accepted you and received you as his partner.” (Romans 15:5-7 TPT)
“I urge you, my brothers and sisters, for the sake of the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to agree to live in unity with one another and put to rest any division that attempts to tear you apart. Be restored as one united body living in perfect harmony. Form a consistent choreography among yourselves, having a common perspective with shared values.” (1 Corinthians 1:10 TPT)
“Tolerate the weaknesses of those in the family of faith, forgiving one another in the same way you have been graciously forgiven by Jesus Christ. If you find fault with someone, release this same gift of forgiveness to them. For love is supreme and must flow through each of these virtues. Love becomes the mark of true maturity. Let your heart be always guided by the peace of the Anointed One, who called you to peace as part of his one body. And always be thankful.” (Colossians 3:13-15 TPT)
I hope you didn’t do what I’m sometimes guilty of, skipping over the Scriptures. If you have, please go back and read them again. Our passionate relationship with Jesus allows His love to flow freely through us so that, with one united voice, we glorify God! Let Jesus be the string that holds all of our pearls together.
Pearl #1: Context matters. See you next week with Pearl #2: Chaos Control
