Friday, October 23, 2009

Standing Together


“Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand." Matthew 12:25

When I was a child we often heard the phrase, 'many hands make light work'. It is true that many hands make any work easier and go faster. When we work together, things seems not only easier but actually enjoyable at times. This wise phrase had another side to it...a funny side. Whenever a fuse would blow or the lights went out in our house, everyone would raise their hands. The joke being...'many hands make light work! We would laugh hysterically and enjoy the fun, particularly if the lights flickered and came back on. It was like having special power and an inside joke with God.

Human beings can find plenty of reasons to divide and disagree. We can take stands that divide churches and families. The Episcopal Church has regularly drawn lines in the sand, as have various members and leaders in our church. It has made us notorious for our division. And yet, we live in a time and world that needs to be bound together, desires to be healed of division and strife. We all need a sense of humility in these times and a good sense of humor about our own humanity and failures, personal and institutional.

Today, I want to try to be an agent for unity and rebuilding. I want my words and actions to be healing and inviting rather than separating and dividing. I ask God's strength so that I might stand fast with the people in my life, my family and my community. And may we all stand together so that God's love might flourish anew in our midst.

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