House Divided IX

Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness?

 - From Numbers 21

I am a musician, and have been in several rock bands in my life. They all worked hard, to get to the point where they were good. And it's always at the very instant that they realize they are on to something, some one or two members will start to complain, or quit, or just generally create friction that topples everything and those that remain have to start all over.

Just when they could have started making some money sharing their gift with their community.

It's the same way with marriage. Studies show that one divorce in your life will cost you a total of one million dollars, over the course of your life. Why do people do it, then? I have spoken to any number of people that affirm that, by the time their spouse announced a desire to divorce, they had reconciled themselves to the problems and had committed to making things better . . . for their spouse . . . from now on.

Political parties are basically borne out of someone complaining. If people generally were content . . or if they knew how to make themselves content (like the Apostle Paul) they would not be interested in the aggressive ire that goes with being political.

And of course, there's the problem of dissension in the Church. If it's going poorly, they stir themselves up against the pastor, until he or she is fired and they can start all over. If it's going well . . . then the pastor has to master a balancing act to keep a sect from forming that could split the church in two. People love a piece of success.

I often advise children: If you don't like your teacher, act as if she were your favorite teacher ever. How would you treat him or her?

Same with employees: Don't like your manager? Strive even more diligently, to make him or her successful. What if we all selflessly worked to make whatever team we're on (be it a family, community, business, or church) as successful as it can be, regardless of the personalities or feelings we bring to the table? I'll bet such a society would even prevent the rise of a Hitler.

Parties and factions start with a complaint. But most complaints need not be uttered. Parties can become quarreling factions, that can build up to regional blocs of political power. And from there things can escalate to civil war.

Churches that split over trivia (or egos) are a laughing stock . . . they make the grace of Christ a mockery. And if they split over secular politics, well . . . what a waste. What an evil waste.

Keep your brother's back, no matter what. Hold the line in the face of temporal political pressure. Make the Body of Christ unbreakable. And then watch magic happen to the concerns you had, that made politics appealing in the first place.