Schism part 3
The way to get rid of the schism, the divide, is to let the (one, single) mind of Christ (that's already in you... BE in you. To use the mind you've been given. 1 Corinthians 2:16 says, "For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ." We HAVE the mind of Christ. Right now. Whether we realize it or not. Whether we use it or not. But since we have it, we ought to use it, right? Look at Romans 15:5-6, "Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." In order to get rid of the schism is to be likeminded ACCORDING to Christ Jesus. We all have that same mind of Christ. That mind that knows the thoughts that it thinks toward us. Thoughts of peace and not of evil. Thoughts of love. Because if you notice, what you think in your mind is what comes out your mouth. With one mind and one mouth we glorify God. Being on the same page with what it really going on. Seeing it, being it, and saying it. Your words are so powerful. You can't just saying anything you want. Look at Proverbs 18:21, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." What you say, what you do, is so important. Actions, and words, have consequences. And like my grandpa always says, "You can do anything you want, as long as you're willing to pay the consequences." Let me say it another way: "A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger" (Proverbs 15:1). Basically, "Keep your words soft and sweet, because you might have to eat them." If there's love in your heart, it will come out in what you say and do. And that's the only way we can truly line up with each other. Its not about individual differences. Variety is the spice of life. We don't need to be robots. But if I line up with Jesus, and you line up with Jesus, we will automatically line up with each other. In the only way that matters. Major on the major and minor on the minors, right? Let love cover THE multitude of sins. Take people as they are. Let people BE who they are. And I'm not saying you have to be ok with everything and everybody. There are some things in life that you should not tolerate. Period. But that doesn't mean its your responsibility to change people. People are going to be who they're going to be. Sometimes all you can do is excuse yourself from a situation. If you do what you can do--and that's literally all you can do. Give it everything you have and everything you are and then its either enough... or its not--if you do what you can do, that's the limit. Turning the other cheek isn't about standing there and getting slapped over and over and over again. Its about not retaliating. Knowing your limits. Setting boundaries. Loving people, yes, but even if that means loving them from a distance. We have the mind of Christ in us. In order to get rid of the schism, the divide, all we have to do is let that mind that's already in us BE in us!