Day 136: Being of One Mind

"Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous."  1 Peter 3:8

Don't we need more of this today?

We live where we emphasize the self much more than the community.  We emphasize getting our way before we start thinking about everybody around us.  But that's not what we're called to by God.  Instead, we are called to build up communities.  We are called to live with love.

The interesting thing about the above command is that it implies that love is the way to be of one mind.  Things would be so much easier these days if everybody were with one mind.  One does not need to look far to understand what a privilege it is to have people of one mind.  Aside from a family (which itself might be divided), there are political parties that are doing just that - parting people.  In a party, people will side with one another in a concerted effort to demonize the 'other'.  That's not what we're called to do.

The good thing about this command is that it already gives us instructions on how to go about being of one mind.  We need to have compassion for one another.  We need to love as sisters and brothers.  We need to be tenderhearted.  We need to be courteous.  In other words, we need to be nice people.  That's it!  Just be nice to one another.  We have learned how to be nice to one another as children.  In fact, it is as we grew up that we started to learn about all the exceptions.  Be nice only to people who have the same color of skin as you do.  Be nice only to the people who like things exactly as you do.  Be nice only to those you find attractive.

Instead, we need to erase all those exceptions from our minds and start to unite as one community of love.  It doesn't take much effort.  We can pray and meditate and look through the bible for answers to questions that we feign, but the only way we'll accomplish this is if we actually do.  Do be nice to everyone.  Do love everyone as you did when you were a child.

Day 128: Love in a Community

"Let brotherly love continue.  Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels."  Hebrews 13:1-2

This is plain and simple: look after one another.

Don't we all have stories to tell one another?  We can talk about how we each have different challenges to face every single day.  One person can describe the pains of work.  Another can describe the pain of not having work.  Another can talk about loss.  Yet another can talk about the stresses of marriage.  We all have troubles.

When I read this, I thought about how important it is to stick together.  It's so important to make sure that our communities only get stronger and greater as the days go on.  We cannot allow for petty fights to divide us in this life.  Why entertain strangers, though?  I mean, we can never tell if they are going to be kind or rude.  We can't determine if they'll repay us.  In context, it almost seems that the second half of that verse was more of a concession.  Of course, we should always be prepared to entertain angels or people of the Lord.  But, at the same time, we shouldn't think of such a reward (a blessing) to be the sole purpose of our hospitality.  Instead, we should be thinking about what we need in this life.

I thank God for my family and friends, because they are all faithful to me, and I try my best to be faithful to them.  I have people who want to see me succeed, and I want to see all of them succeed.  My mom is the best example, who always looks out for me and always offers her help in so many different forms.  I hope that I can be the same way back to her. 

I appreciate that kind of support.  It might be contained within a small circle, but it is incredibly magnificent.  Now, I can't even imagine how much better life would be if everybody started supporting one another.  I know of so many different people who work in fields that I'll never be interested in or even knowledgeable of.  And, I appreciate when they can help, just as how I feel a joy in being able to offer my own services to people who need help in things that I am quite knowledgeable in.

Let's think more about the Kingdom of Heaven rather than our own personal gain in our lives.  Let's build up the Kingdom by circulating the brotherly love that we are all capable of giving.  Let's be more Christ-like.