The church has always been a special body. In the days of Rome, it was so unique it turned their world upside down. Tales throughout history have seen the church stand out among its surroundings. Many reasons can be attributed as the cause of this eccentricity in worldly eyes, but one of the most important reasons is unity. From its onset, the church has been one unified body, consisting of many members under one head. What did this look like? And more importantly, how does this look in a church during one of the most divided times in our history?
As we know, the church was started by, and is, Jesus. He formulated it, cultivated it, and paid for it by His blood. His teachings are how we live our lives, from the greatest command, to what greatness is, but most importantly how to live and act as a Christian.
However, it was not only in spoken word that Jesus taught His church to be unified. One of the most pressing examples to me is that of His Apostles. In the book of Luke, towards the middle of the sixth chapter, Jesus is choosing from His disciples 12 men He would send to spread His teachings throughout the land of Judea. After praying all night, we get the list of His choices. A little while ago, someone pointed out something especially poignant about what is explicitly mentioned in Luke's account. We read starting in verse 14, "Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot; Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot who also became a traitor." Two names stick out every time I read it, thanks to that one lesson, Simon called the Zealot and Matthew. Matthew was a tax collector; a Jew turned Roman debt collector. The Jews would have seen him as a thieving traitor, taking their money, giving it to their oppressors, and skimming a little off the top for himself. Tax collectors were not viewed fondly in the culture, but perhaps none of these men would have held as indignant of a conviction towards him than Simon. Simon was a religious zealot who wanted to shake off the yoke of Roman oppression. He wanted to return Judea to its powerful state through any militaristic means possible. Yet here he is, mentioned three names after a man who, when he was called, was still behind his money table.
The lesson that this detail mentioned almost in passing teaches about unity despite differences is crucial. Looking at it from our modern perspective, it almost seems impossible. Our discourse around the world regarding politics, morality, or seemingly any disagreement has turned extraordinarily vicious. We have turned anyone with a difference of opinion into an enemy and a monster. With Simon and Matthew, we see that this problem is not unique to us, and is ultimately not how we should view each other as Christians.
So how did they do it? How did they grow past these ferocious differences? The answer is that they saw something greater. When they were first called, both men saw the world through worldly eyes. They saw their prejudices, their contempt, and their disdain for others based on their worldview. Then Jesus came into the picture. They walked with Him, they learned from Him, and eventually, from Him, they realized something bigger than what they had seen before. Simon and Matthew could get along despite their differences because they had a common goal much further from worldly things.
Likewise, we can have unity with others despite our differences of policy or political leaders if we remember that these things are temporal, not eternal. One day, countries will cease to exist. There will not be a world to argue about global warming in. All these little things which divide us will no longer be an issue, and the one thing that should be our fixation will remain: God. If we treat our brothers and sisters with the mindset that is focused on things eternal, things better, how easy then will it be to see past our earthly concerns and see souls rather than differences.
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