Day 28 – The Peace of the Cross

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9)

“I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgement.” (1 Corinthians 1:10)

The call to be peacemakers is a call to unity.   The Scriptures tell us that each of us is uniquely created and individually appointed for a specific purpose in God’s Kingdom work.  God does not want us to “be” the same.  That would be uniformity and, unity and uniformity are not the same.  Unity is when all the different parts of an organization work together for one purpose…with one goal that supersedes individual agendas.  The Greek word “sympaneo”, from which we get the English word “symphony”, is used in the Scripture to describe the unity that should characterize the body of Christ.  In the symphony, each instrument is different and plays it’s unique sound at the appropriate time and it blends together to produce beautiful music that surpasses anything any one instrument could create on its own.

This unity takes effort.  It requires each instrument to follow the music and to submit to the leadership of the conductor.  For the church, the music is the Scripture…the Bible…God’s Word.  The conductor is God, who through the Holy Spirit directs us.  For example, if an instrument plays at the wrong time the Conductor calls attention to the music and makes sure that everyone is on the “same page”.   The conductor is the ultimate peacemaker, but not because he requires all instruments to play the same notes at the same time.  Quite the contrary, he allows each instrument to bring it’s unique sound into the piece at the appropriate time and, with his guidance,  blend with the others to create a musical masterpiece.

This is what The Prince of Peace does for His church.  He takes different people with different strengths and weaknesses and unites them around one goal…to glorify God.  He is the Ultimate Conductor allowing us to be who He created us to be and weaving us together into the greater tapestry of His Kingdom.  This is what God does. We are designed by God to work together in a symphony of fellowship…uniquely gifted, but unified in Spirit and purpose.

We are called to be peacemakers as well.  God is the Conductor but we are still required to work with each other and appreciate each other…to love one another.  This, however, is not always easy…or comfortable…or convenient…but…when you hear that symphony and you know you are a part of it…it is always rewarding.

What are you called to do in the symphony of God’s Kingdom?  Are you contributing to the unified purpose and mission of the church?   Are you working in harmony with others for one purpose?  Are you encouraging others to find their place?  Do you appreciate and respect the differences in those around us?

Let’s go!  It’s time to make some music!