"How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!"
~ Psalm 133:1, NIV
So I've been reading the book of Psalms as part of my Bible Plan and I've gotten to Psalm 133. For some reason, this chapter stuck to my mind, especially the first verse. Psalm 133 only has three verses and the whole chapter in itself talks about unity.
At first, reading this, our minds immediately go to the family of God and the relationship we have with the people at church and other believers. I mean, as one body in Christ Jesus, it's necessary that we live with each other peacefully and in unity, not just for our benefit but for the growth of the Kingdom of God. But the Holy Spirit brought something to mind when I was reading this. It was the fact that, my own family constitutes as part of God's people as well. God not only expects me to live in unity with people outside, but on the inside as well.
I think I've said in a previous post that lockdown can really take a toll on you, especially when you have siblings and parents or other family members around you that are really testing your patience. We all love our families, but there are honestly times when you can't help but wish they'd leave you alone for five minutes. Now I have three siblings, so that's basically triple the amount of arguments and annoyances. Some of you may not have siblings or are currently far from home and trust me, it's easier to love and miss your family when they're away, more than when they're near. The test of love can sometimes be determined by distance but the test of patience and endurance can really be tested by proximity.
Going back to the scripture, I realised that living in unity means living in peace. I've mentioned before, that peace is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of Christ and it doesn't just apply to when we're going through hard times. It can literally apply to a situation when your sister is yet again provoking you and you're ready to fire that insult or even retort to some, might I say, ungodly actions just to get back at her. But we can't forget that Christ lives within us, so His Presence is within us (The Holy Spirit), meaning that He guides our actions, including when we feel annoyed or angry.
Romans 12:18 says:
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
So yes, your mother said something you didn't like, or your sibling ruined your stuff or did something they knew would make you mad. But at the end of the day, it all comes back to how you react to it. Do you decide to give in to anger or do you let go? Peace starts from within and in order to live in unity, we must let patience prevail.
Did you know that how you behave with your family members rubs off on how you behave with your friends and people outside your home too? Looking at my sarcastic nature that people complained about a lot throughout my teenage years (and even a little now; but trust me guys when I say I've mellowed down since before), I realised that it's something common amongst my siblings and I. My friends thought I was bad, but they honestly hadn't seen my siblings' interaction with me at home. The sarcasm amongst us is on another level. So witty comments I made outside was just as a result of something I was used to doing with my siblings at home.
This is just an example of how your interaction with your family at home can affect your interaction with people outside. This means that if there's no peace at home, no matter how hard you try, you might not be able to have peace in other relationships. No matter how good your relationship is with people outside, there's bound to be a crack eventually. You can't be a lamb with your friends but a wolf with your family.
As charity begins at home, so do strong and healthy relationships. You don't always have to respond when shots are fired; you don't always have to have the last word in an argument. Don't let one thing that was said cause you to go to bed angry. The Bible says, don't let the sun go down on your anger (Ephesians 4:26).
This isn't restricted to only family members. You could be living with roommates or a friend or someone you're close to but always find yourself fighting with. Living together can cause disputes and can test your patience, but don't let yourself fail those tests. Let peace begin with you, even when it's hard to let go.
God loves it when we live together in unity with others and by doing so, you even attract more blessings from Him. So remember, unity needs peace, peace starts from within you and within you there is the Holy Spirit, guiding you in making the right decisions.
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Stay blessed and stay a blessing.
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