Romans 15:5-6 (NLT)
May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Walk into a restaurant today and think about what you hear. You probably hear a multitude of voices. Many voices saying many different things. Now, stop focusing on the voices and you’ll hear something different: Noise. From every direction. Imagine trying to listen to just one of the voices in this restaurant from where you’re standing at the entrance. You might be able to do it but it wouldn’t be easy. After a little while, you would probably have a headache from having to focus so hard.
In the same way, what if each member of Refuge Church was saying something different? What if, through our lives and way we love others, our voices were nothing but noise. One person saying this. Another person saying that. One person treating people one way. Another person treating people a different way. As a body of believers, instead of sharing with our community the love of Christ, we would be sharing something completely different: Pure chaos. Spiritual anarchy.
Is this how we’re going to share the love and Jesus and make a positive difference in the city of Greenville and our surrounding communities? Of course not! This is why Paul tells us time and time again that it is absolutely vital that we, as believers, live in complete harmony with each other.
Now ask yourself this: What if each member of Refuge Church was saying the same thing? What if, through our lives and way we love others, our voices were able to unite as one? What if this one voice was big enough to completely change Greenville and our surrounding communities?
It is!
Do your best this morning to speak love and encouragement into the lives of every person you meet today!
