Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. — 1 Peter 3:8
Richie Incognito and Jonathan Martin had every reason as teammates to be friends, but they weren’t. Incognito constantly harassed and bullied Martin. He even threatened to kill him and his family.
Incognito claimed it was all just locker room talk – and was typical in the NFL. But it was too much for Martin, who quit the team citing emotional issues and fearing for his life. Martin admits he has some culpability as well in the issue, saying he was far too passive in dealing with Incognito’s threatening behavior.
Consider all the reasons these two men had to be friends. Both were football players, on the same team, with the same coach. Both were starters and wanted to win. Both were millionaires. Yet somewhere along the way, they forgot they were supposed to be on the same team.
In much the same way, Christians of all stripes have many more reasons to honor one another than to dishonor one another. Both have the same owner, the same Savior, the same Spirit, the same playbook, and the same enemy.
As believers in Christ, our similarities are far greater than our differences. So be a force for unity in the body of Christ. Work with others to accomplish His purposes!
Prayer Challenge
Pray and ask God to give you a heart of love toward other believers – even those with whom you may disagree.
Questions for thought
Why do you think unity is so hard to achieve in the Christian faith?
What specific action can you take today to be a force for unity in the body of Christ?