One of the sayings which was used ad infinitum, ad nauseum during the COV”ID-19 crisis was “we are in this together.” While that is true to some extent (it is affecting all of our lives), it is also not true to some extent. It is hard to be in something together where the other person-or I myself- is belligerent and hard to get along with. I’ve seen it happen in sports, government, marriage, and yes, in churches.

When I pitched in Little League baseball, I once pitched a no-hitter. I would be foolish to think I did that all myself. I had 8 other players all pulling together to win 8-0. When I averaged 20 points/15 rebounds per game as a Junior in college, I’m a fool if I think for a moment it wasn’t a team game and I didn’t need the other four guys who were on the court the same time as me.

If you read Our Daily Bread today you will read the story of a pastor and a father (injured in a house fire) take turns running and carrying the father’s daughter to a hospital 6 miles away. When one tired of carrying her, the other took his turn. Together they made the journey together. Together they made sure the daughter and father were both treated.

Churches rely on people working together. When a leader or an individual or a pastor goes rogue, all kinds of trouble can break loose. Unless…it is checked by those who work together. One of the hallmarks of a church should be unity. Unity is not all thinking alike, but it is thinking with the common goal in mind. Jesus once said that all people would know we are His disciples if we love one another.

“Father, help me to be one who works together with others. Help me to be a catalyst for unity not division.”