Unified in Love

Colossians 3:14 “Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.”

    

The sun shone bright in the sky over Walter Jackson Elementary School’s playground.  Children ran around red-faced with beads of sweat on their noses and hair plastered to their foreheads in the warm, Alabama spring. Amidst all the fun, the bully of the third grade girls picked up a heavy, big, red kick-ball and bounced it hard off the head of one of the first graders.  It hit the little girl so hard that her ear touched her shoulder as her neck bent sideways with the impact.  The playground became silent except for the sound of children playing in the distance and birds singing high in the big oak trees lining the school property.  The little girl began to quietly cry, holding her neck. 

 

   One of the most popular third grade girls broke the silence with a forceful, “Now, wait just a minute!  You can’t do that to her.  She didn’t do anything to you!  You tell her you are sorry.  NOW.”  The popular girl ran to the first grader and asked if she was alright.  The injured, frightened little girl shook her head.  Yes, she was ok, but it hurt. The big bully squared her shoulders, straightened her back and folded her arms on her chest.  She looked down her evil nose at the other girl and said, “I’m not sayin’ nothin’.  I can do whatever I want.  All these girls are on my team and we can do whatever we want.”  She waved her hand across the group of girls as if it were a magic wand.  

   Again, silence.  “I’m telling,” one brave little girl finally shouted.  “Oh no you won’t,” the bully fired back.  The popular girl said, “We are ALL telling! You can’t get away with this.  You hurt her.  No one wants to be one your team.”  The bully’s face turned beet red.  I think she grew about five horrifying inches as we all stood staring at her.  One by one the girls began to stare down the bully and stand beside the little first grade girl and the popular third grader, until the bully was standing all alone.  Everyone had made their choice and unified against the playground bully. 

   The popular girl, put her arm around my shoulder as we all walked toward the teachers.  You see, I was the little girl that was hurt.  After that day, the bully didn’t bother me or anyone else anymore.  She was disciplined for her actions and given a stern warning for the future.  The girls had chosen sides.  We fought and won against the bully.  

   When Jesus said that the most important things were to love God and love others, I have believed these words worthy of a hearty “Amen” during services, but in real life they seemed merely suggestions, not commands. 

  

   I grew up being afraid and judgement of what other churches taught.  As a life-long resident of the Bible belt, scriptures have always played a role in my life.  I learned my childhood memory verses; I was taken to Bible classes and Vacation Bible School; if the doors of the church were opened I was occupying a pew.  Yet in growing and developing my faith, I got the impression that scripture was a weapon against other people, not Satan.  I had missed the joy that comes through Christian love and unity.  I had not chosen sides yet.  

   The definition of the word unity is the state of being joined together for a common purpose, or common feelings.  The concept of unity is simple, but simple does not equal easy.  The act of spiritual unity is hard in a fallen world.  Currently our world finds different religions at odds with one another, which is nothing new.  But it is not enough to disagree with one another in today’s society.  We currently see a resurgence of religious violence and hatred, but to extremes and scale never before imagined.  

   I don’t think Jesus was kidding when He called us to love. What might be accomplished if we, all Christians, chose sides?  What if we all realized we are on the same team with a common enemy?  What if we unified in love?