“Have fervent love for one another.” 1Pe 4:8 NKJV #UNITY WITHOUT #UNIFORMITY (2) In working for unity: (1) Consider your motives. Only #God knows the motives of a person’s #heart, and only God is qualified to judge them. “No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit” (1Co 2:11 NLT). We’re externally-oriented creatures; we “judge by outward appearance, but the #Lord looks at the heart” (1Sa 16:7 NLT). It’s not necessarily what people do that causes us to judge them, it’s what we tell ourselves about what they’re doing. We’re quick to attribute negative motives: “He meant to hurt me. She’s selfish. They never consider others.” The church in Rome was sabotaging its own unity over outward issues, so Paul reminded them that even though their behavior was at odds, their motives were similar. “He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God” (Ro 14:6 NIV). Unity doesn’t depend on outward #conformity, but understanding hearts! (2) Consider your impact on others. We say, “It’s nobody’s business but mine, as long as I don’t violate #Scripture.” Wrong! You can follow the letter of the Word but violate its #Spirit. Paul said, “Everything is permissible—but not everything is beneficial” (1Co 10:23 NIV). Yes, you can do it, but somebody else may end up being hurt. God has a higher law than that of “my rights”; it’s the #law of #love! He cares “when you use your freedom carelessly in a way that leads a #Christian…to be thrown off track” (1Co 8:9 TM). What should you do? “Do nothing from #selfishness…regard one another as more important than yourselves” (Php 2:3 NAS). #DailyDevotional
Posted on: Wed, 12 Nov 2014 14:15:01 +0000
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