I often like to enjoy a few sips of my first cup of coffee on my back deck, breathing in the air, looking around at nature, and talking with God. Some mornings I only have a minute before both children appear at the screen door and shatter my silent oasis, but other days I can actually get to the bottom of my cup. Usually I am out there alone, and if I weren’t I would notice right away because I live in a neighborhood where the houses are lined up and all the back porches are open view to each other. I have noticed lately that a neighbor a few doors down from me has begun work on his deck. When I see him, I am reminded that I don’t know his name, but I have talked to his wife once on the sidewalk. From surface alone, it appears our families may have several things in common. We both have kids, which we homeschool, we both have husbands with construction trade jobs, and from our one past conversation we probably have similar faith beliefs. So, as I considered these things the other day, I thought perhaps we could get to know each other better. We have lived here for 4 years, and so far, we are on friendly terms with exactly 3 neighbors, the two houses on either side, and the one directly across the street.
This morning as I stepped out of the house I was hit by humidity, and stillness of air. I decided to sit outside anyway, and as I settled into my chair I noticed my neighbor was out again, this time with a friend. I suppose I was looking for the opportunity to throw up a friendly wave, but I quickly noticed they had tools with them. No, wait, not tools, but guns. Now side note is this – while my family growing up did not have guns in the house, I am from the South and have experience hunting and target shooting with a variety of types of guns. Not to mention my husband was in the army… so it’s not to say that it is issue in of itself, but the surprise of seeing them on their back porch in a neighborhood with closely placed houses shooting into the air was a bit unexpected. I literally chuckled to myself and thought, “ok, so they are THOSE people”. It reminded me a bit of where I grew up, as it was fairly common to have a “porch gun”. Now suddenly that ONE SINGULAR difference was enough to convince me not to pursue a friendship. Crazy, right?
Well, God spoke to me at once, and reminded me that while we may have a difference of opinion on one thing, real relationships are built on a foundation of truths. Like that list I already gave of things we do have in common. The opinion items don’t define us, and neither should they divide us. That would be what Satan wants to do.
God commands that we as believers live in community with one another. Not that we will all be little clones of each other, always agreeing and having the same perspective on all things but communing together despite those differences. He tells us that is how others will know we belong to Him (Jn. 17:21). So a natural follow-up would be to consider who we demonstrate our allegiance to if we do not live together in community despite or differences.
1 John 3: 10 says, “By this the children of God and the children of the devil can be distinguished: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is anyone who does not love his brother.”
Yeah, not the intention when we follow Christ.
On this Labor Day, remember who we are truly working for (Col. 3:23), and go ahead and check yourself to make sure you are demonstrating an allegiance to God our Father, in all relationships. Perhaps once the grills get going today, I will step to my back porch and not be shy in shouting out a “hello” to my neighbor and a possible new friend.
Colossians 3:14
Above all, put on love — the perfect bond of unity.
Prayers and Petition 