Lilly: Yeah, the transition from vacation to school always throws me off a bit, but now we're ready to go. So...what do we have this week, Dodger? Is there anything in the mail?
Dodger: Well, it looks like an email has arrived. I haven't read it yet, so we'll all get to see it for the first time. Here it is:
Lilly: Hmmm. This one's a bit difficult.
Dodger: It almost seems like Argu wants us to pick sides.
Lilly: Yeah. I don't think that that would be a good idea though. First of all, we don't know what they disagree about, so it's hard to make any kind of informed decision. Second of all, it looks like what's really at stake here is unity. This argument is driving these people apart.
Dodger: It's kind of a tough spot to be in, huh?
Lilly: Yeah. Fighting with friends is never pleasant. However, the good news is that this is not a problem we need to solve.
Dodger: Wait, what? We're just going to leave this question unanswered?
Lilly: No, but the Bible has far more intelligent things to say about this than we do. According to the message both Argu and his friend are Christians. So the question is, does the Bible say anything about how Christians can or should agree with each other?
Dodger: Beg pardon?
Lilly: In other words, is there a certain mindset that we ought to adopt with those who also follow Jesus?
Dodger: Oh. I'm...not quite sure, actually.
Lilly: The answer, which is yes, can be found in Philippians, chapter 2. I'll read right from the beginning:
"Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others." (v. 1-4, boldface added)
Dodger: That's a lot to try and understand.
Lilly: It is, and there's actually more to it in the following verses, but this time we're just going to focus on a particular part.
Dodger: The one that looks bold?
Lilly: Yep.
Dodger: Okay. It says we should be like-minded, have the same love, and be of one accord and one mind. Does that mean we all need to think exactly the same or something?
Lilly: No. That's not what Paul was writing. You see, people argue and get divided over all sorts of things. The Bible isn't saying we need to agree on all those things all the time. However, we should never let our opinions keep us from doing our very best together to represent Christ to the world. True, some things need boundaries and are worth drawing a line in the sand over. If a Christian friend tells you to do something wrong and is a really bad influence, it might be a good idea not to hang out with them. However, some people get really worked up over things that shouldn't be cause for dividing. In other words, if you're arguing with a Christian friend over, say, whether the New King James Version or the English Standard Version of the Bible is best, well, that disagreement is certainly no reason for you not to be friends and work together.
Dodger: I think I'm beginning to see what you mean.
Lilly: As Christians it's part of our job to show the world who Jesus Christ is. We can't do that though, if we spend all our time arguing with each other and fighting each other because we disagree on things. It's better to try and work those things out with prayer and discussion instead of throwing our hands up in the air and giving up on people who don't think exactly the same way we do. God doesn't expect us all to be exactly alike, in fact, He doesn't want that. He does, however, want us to be united in following Him so that the world can see Him through us. When Jesus prays for His people, in other words, us, in the Gospel of John, chapter 17, He asks that we would be united. Speaking first about His immediate followers, He says:
"I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me." (John 17:20-21 NKJV)
Dodger: So, Jesus wanted us to be unified so that the world would see that God is really working through us?
Lilly: You've hit it on the head. It can be really hard to get people to do things together, but when we do, we show the world that God is really doing something through us! It's a great way to let the world know He's here!
Dodger: That's pretty cool. So, how do we go about it?
Lilly: Well, I think the best thing to do is pray together and work together to do what the Bible says. It can be really nice to see what God has to say to us, and if there's a disagreement, we can work it out with respect and kindness. That's one way we can reflect God better. So, Argu, the best thing to do is respect what your friend thinks and move on, with both of you seeking God instead of seeking to win all arguments. It's more rewarding and more glorifying to God that way.
Dodger: The Bible really impresses me. It was written years ago, but has all sorts of things to say that work really well today!
Lilly: Yep. It's awesome.
Dodger: I guess we'd better get going. It is a school night, after all. Thank you so much for hanging out with us today! Remember, Jesus loves you, and that's not about to change!
Lilly: 01100111 01101111 01101111 01100100 00100000 01100010 01111001 01100101 !
Dodger: What?
Lilly: It's binary code for goodbye.
Dodger: Oh. Okay.
Lilly: Bye!
(NKJV Means New King James Version)
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