Preserve The Unity Of The Spirit In The Bond Of Peace

Ephesians 4:1-3 says:

"Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

This is the Christmas season for most Christian churches. Some call it Advent (a time of preparation) others don’t have a specific term. In North American churches, it tends to be a time of get-togethers, parties, dinners, card exchanges, visits to shut-ins, and special programs. It is also a time of high stress and strife. This season more than most, many Christians struggle with depression and sorrow, feelings of loss, regret, and the stress to have a “great Christmas”.

So, over the years I have seen countless clashes over “that is not how we do things”, “that is not where we put that”, “that is not the song we sing for this part”, and on and on. One of statements that caught me completely off guard as a new pastor a number of years ago was “Why didn’t you use the one my Grandparents donated” from a member who was a grandparent to several of my youth group. I had no idea what she was talking about, nor did I understand what difference it would make whether or not I used a particular piece, since the church had multiple items of the same thing. One of my deacons told me after the service (where this happened) that her grandparents had donated an advent wreath and this particular weekend was their anniversary. Being new I had not realized this fact, and no one who had helped decorate the church had told me about this fact.

Now this all may seem irrelevant to the verse at the beginning, but let me explain- As Christians, Paul is exhorting (encouraging) us to have the patience of Christ and His gentleness, when dealing with those around us especially during what is a very emotional time for many. It did not matter which wreath we used in the church, but to one member it was important that their family’s donation be present during a particular service. I could have used it in some manner, just to help them have a better emotional and spiritual experience (if I had known).

As each of you go through this season, I urge you to keep the idea that each of us can help others find peace and comfort in this time simply by not getting worked up over the little things that might mean a lot to someone else. If it is not truly important to you that a certain thing be done a certain way, let the other person “win”- it might be truly important to them even if they don’t explain why. It is ultimately the Spirit of the Season, and the Reason for the Season that is the priority, not how it is celebrated.