Focused on Jesus
Luann Budd
Paul exhorts the Ephesians to "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace" (Eph. 4:3). He's telling us to be intentional. We can't assume unity will simply happen on its own.
As we find ourselves at odds with other believers, differing over substantive issues, what does it look like for us to make every effort to keep our unity? It's so tempting to just write people off, but we can't. I believe by God's grace, we can keep our eyes focused on Jesus and be willing to humble ourselves as he did. Making every effort includes "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus" (Phil 2:3-5). Humility is often hard, but it is key.
During the weeks leading up to Easter, let's make every effort to confess our own failures, extend forgiveness to those who have wounded us, and do everything within our power to preserve our unity through the bond of peace with those we disagree with. If we keep our eyes on Jesus and imitate his humility, by his strength we can go the extra mile and not be willing to let anything or anyone divide us. Humbling ourselves is key—let's stay focused on Jesus.
This month we are celebrating our unity as sisters in Christ even though we are diverse and may disagree. NEWIM has always been a large umbrella, welcoming all women who love and serve Jesus. One evidence of this was our Oasis Ministry that was hosted in 75 different churches. Keeping our eyes on Jesus and humbling ourselves goes a long way to preserving our unity. Be the one to extend an olive branch this month.