3 Musketeers

[From May 5, 2009]

"If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it."

(1 Corinthians 12:26)

The 3 Musketeers had a famous slogan: "All for one and one for all!" (at least I think it was from them!). They were a team. Together. What affected one affected all. Good or bad... they were in it together.

The church has a lot to learn from that. When Jesus was coming to the end of his time on earth, he prayed that his disciples (and all followers) might be ONE. In the time that has transpired since that prayer, we seem to have gone in the opposite direction. We've divided, split, fought, debated & splintered the Body of Christ. Oh sure, there very well may have been "good reasons" to do so at the time... but the results are still the same: division... less-than-unity.

Paul reminds us here in 1 Corinthians 12 that we are to rejoice whenever one among us is honored and suffer whenever one of us suffers. We need to stop competing with one another. Stop rejoicing when one who doesn't share our "theological persuasion" falls. Instead, whenever a pastor, church, denomination, or individual does well for the Kingdom, we should all rejoice! and pray! All the time!

May it be so with me. AMEN.