“If we are to have a good day, there are certain things that we must do as Christians, and certain things that we must be content to leave undone. Further, there are certain things that we must be prepared to have done to us just because we are Christians.

Our text opens with a kind of five-pronged reminder of things we must do if we are to have a good day, and the five fingers grow out of the hand of constructiveness. Listen to Peter, “…have unity of spirit, sympathy, love of brethren, a tender heart and a humble mind.” (I Peter 3:8)

Two forces are at work in the world; the centrifugal, which tends to alienate, to separate, to drive apart; and the centripetal, that which binds together, creates fellowship. Is there any doubt which is the Christian force?

Listen to our Lord in his high-priestly prayer praying, “…that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us… I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one.” (John 17: 21, 23)

It is the will of God that there be perfect unity on Earth. There is no better time than the present to work for it.”

JWR’s text, pg 2-3.

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As I live in a world increasingly divided, with voices and actions increasingly divisive, and with candidates for president of the United States sniping at each other via Twitter and Instagram, I find my Grandfather’s words prophetic.

There are two forces at work: centrifugal and centripetal. Can there be any doubt which is the Christian force?

photo credit to http://www.livescience.com