One Common Denominator

Bracketology! This is always a fun time of year for me. I know nothing about College Basketball but every year about this time, me and some friends fill out our brackets and participate together in a NCAA Tournament challenge here. One of the nice things about it all, is that most of the friends that I play with don't know much about college basketball either, although they won't admit it. So we are all on at least somewhat of an even playing field. So, this is about the only time of year, while filling out my brackets, that I actually watch SportsCenter on ESPN to find who is going to beat who in college basketball.

But something dawned on me last night as I was watching it and then again this morning while listening to the radio in my truck. There is always something to argue about with sports, isn't there? If we have half an interest in a particular sport, that automatically qualifies us to argue in favor of what we want or think. And then I started thinking how this phenomenon even transcends sports. We argue over politics, sports, whether or not we should homeschool, how to raise children, who should stay or go on American Idol, what our favorite TV programs are, where the best places to eat are, and even religion, along with everything else under the sun.

This seems to indicate a couple of things: (1) most people are passionate about the things they enjoy in life, which is great. And (2) God made us to be different. Can you imagine a world where everyone thought exactly alike? It is not feasible and it would completely take away the whole Biblical concept of free moral agency. I can't even fathom how boring life would be if the people I am closest with, including my wife even, thought exactly as I do or I like them. That is not how God made us. And I think this is especially important to remember for us as Christians.

The fact that God calls us to strive for peace and unity, as opposed to confusion demonstrates the fact that He knows how differences are part of what characterizes our human nature. I am not convinced that Jesus' prayer for unity (John 17) and Paul's and James' charge for peace and unity (1 Corinthians 1:10; James 3:18; 4:1-12) are so much a command for everyone "to agree on everything" as much as it is to "learn how to get along despite the fact that you have your differences." Now certainly, we all want to strive to abide by what God's word says and that is undoubtedly the Biblical way to stand on common ground. But it seems that the commands to think alike are actually telling us to remember that we are united through Christ and that we must understand ultimately, it is God that serves as the Judge. This is a role we cannot fill. At least I believe Paul is clearly teaching this principle throughout Romans 14 (i.e., vv.4, 10, 12-13, 17, etc.).

Well, I say all of this in order to say this; thank God He has given us His word so that we have a means by which we can stand united! God is not the author of confusion but instead calls us to peace (1 Corinthians 14:34). God tells us in His word that it is through the bond of His Son Jesus Christ that we are all one. In fact, it is this particular bond into which we are all baptized (1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Galatians 3:27) that unites us. It is Jesus that reconciles us to God (2 Corinthians 5:20-21) and therefore to each other also (1 John 1:7). Seek Jesus first (Matthew 6:33) and we find unity (1 Corinthians 1:10).

Because God made us different, Jesus must be our one common denominator. It is enough to drive us insane when we try to change or control one another. It is not possible. I have spent almost 12 years trying to change my wife and am just now starting to accept that it is not happening. That is not what love is. We have to step back and allow Jesus and His standard to be what unites us. Jesus' standard is our one and only common denominator. We have to trust this!

Have a good day!