God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. 2 Corinthians 5:19–20 The Message
The world will know Jesus is real when we love and work well with one another. This should be the joint goal of all men and women, whatever their season or occupation. Aren’t we all ministers of reconciliation—God’s ambassadors to the lost?
God wants us all to tell everyone what He is doing! Instead, we have often been too busy telling each other what we can or cannot do.
God wants us to work together as persuasive influencers who encourage and convince men and women to drop their conflicts (whatever they might be) and enter into His work. This issue of conflict resolution should apply to every area of human relationships and interactions. We need each other, so it’s time to settle our differences.
Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new… All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and Him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. 2 Corinthians 5:17–18 The Message
Lions and lionesses do this. They understand they are under the same mission: to establish a generation of lions with legacy and strength. To accomplish this, they raise, protect, and provide for their young well. Both lion and lioness have a role to play within that mission, and neither usurps the role of the other.
Everything God created is good, and to be received with thanks. Nothing is to be sneered at and thrown out. God’s Word and our prayers make every item in creation holy. 1 Timothy 4:4–5 The Message, emphasis added
If every thing God created is good and to be received, accepted, and given welcome with gratitude, how much more should people be received in this manner?
It’s time for us to lay aside whatever divides us. Let’s move away from extremes that render us ineffective and come under one mission together.
What does this look like in your life? How can you receive others with thanks and work with them to bring reconciliation to our world?
