Matthews Family Herald

What these photos specifically depict is a topic for another discussion, but it could at least be proof that work unites. But on to the topic at hand:

I once went to a meeting of 12 house church leaders here in Germany. It was the second attempt they had all made at getting together in the Lord and forming an alliance of sorts. The first one had ended in complete disaster - lots of conflict and anger and walking out, etc.

This second one went much better because everyone stayed through the whole time. There was some conflict though and some unpleasant moments too. Not everyone was willing to be together yet even though there was so much in common.

Regardless of the issues at hand (they all spoke in German but someone translated a bit for me) it brought the disunity and the memory of some of the previous conflicts I've had with various pastors and leaders, etc. It brought all of that to the surface for me, and I was troubled that night wrestling over all the bad feelings that all this "infighting" gives me.

The next day after the meeting, I was waiting for my train to come and take me to work. I kept watching these workers fixing the train tracks. I just cried out to God asking "why! Why do THEY get to get along but WE can't?"

One was supervising and two other ones were on either side, drilling away with sledge hammers. None of the three even spoke a word but seemed to move in unison. They were a well oiled team. I was jealous in some sense. But as I watched, I felt like God might be saying "it's the work that keeps them in unity." Troops near the front lines don't have time to debate which rifle would be best here, whether the bullet twirls three times or four per millisecond. The rifle is there. Shoot! The enemy. Let's go. You know? Garrison troops squabble over differences and pick apart each other's uniform, eating and living habits, haircuts, way of speaking, etc. But in the fight, there's no time for that.

That up there is personally how I'm able to work with people who are convinced on a major point "of the law" so to speak, that I'm convinced differently about but I'm still able to work with them.

However, sometimes you are supposed to stand up and not allow something to continue. Big stuff like "There is no hell, all the world is already saved regardless, the Holy Bible isn't God's word, all religions point to the same God, you can commit sodomy and God is fine with that, Jesus' brother is Satan, you can be the Saviour of your own planet some day, you have to aknowledge 'insert whatever cult leader name here you want' in order to really be saved in Jesus" and on and on. That stuff has to be corrected when asserted before your Body or your family as the truth, and cannot be linked up, arm in arm, with.

There's a fine line between squabbling over things that are important but not core doctrine, and then defending core doctrine. God knows the difference, I just want to be in agreement with Him about when it's worth the argument, and when it's just time to "get back to work together."