“God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.”
I Corinthians 12:24-25
Lon Solomon pastors a large church in Virginia. At one time, his church was lacking direction and vision. Factions and infighting were commonplace. Lon and his elder board were demoralized and at wits end.
Just when Pastor Lon was considering stepping down, his wife gave birth to a little girl with multiple disabilities. Everyone was shocked and heartbroken. Suddenly, there was no time for divisions. Everyone put their differences aside, the church got focused, and members began rallying around Lon’s family. This resulted in an outreach to more families like the pastor’s. Today, Lon’s church is strong and growing, and is building a national early-childhood intervention center to minister to parents of special needs children. What a poignant illustration of today’s verse for, “God has given greater honor to the parts [of the body] that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body…if one part suffers, every part suffers with it.”
Galatians 5:19-21 warns, “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God” [italics mine]. Are there factions in your fellowship? Are you a part of one of them? Put things right today. A church that harbors factions cannot live long in God’s kingdom.
Spirit of God, show me if I have a spirit of dissension or discord, jealousy or selfish ambition. I confess to You any factions which I may be a part of. Help me to promote unity in my church. Like You, I want no divisions in the body of Christ!
