ONE IN HEART AND MIND
Acts 4:32
"All the believers were one in heart and mind."
Take a close look at this statement. All the believers were one in heart and mind. Does this mean that those early believers agreed on everything? No, they didn’t. In fact, there were some rather heated arguments that occurred from time to time. Peter got into conflict with the Jewish believers because he visited and ate in the homes of Gentile believers. Paul got into conflicts with several people – Peter, Barnabas and John Mark are the first who come to mind.
Now, take a look at your own congregation. Does everyone in your church agree about everything? How about your Christian friends? Do you all agree about everything? Is that possible? More yet, is that desirable?
Disagreement not only does occur, but it can be very profitable. Think about the conflict that arose between Paul and Barnabas and John Mark… John Mark had accompanied Paul and Barnabas on the first missionary journey, but for some reason that we aren’t told, John Mark abandoned Paul and Barnabas at Pamphylia, and returned to Jerusalem. Because of that, Paul didn’t trust John Mark, and refused to allow him to accompany him and Barnabas on the next journey. In Acts 15:39-41, we see what happened…
“They (Paul and Barnabas) had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.”
So, because of the disagreement, TWO missionary teams went out from Jerusalem instead of one! That conflict had doubled the spreading of the gospel!
All of us are individuals. All of us are the sum of everything that has happened to us in our lives. We each have our own individual perspectives. We each have our own individual personalities. And we each have our own individual tastes. Because of this, we each have own individual opinions about everything. But that isn't necessarily bad. Instead, just as it was with Paul, Barnabas and John Mark, our disagreements can be food for growth. If we listen to each other, we can gain new perspectives, broader horizons and greater understanding. None of us lives long enough or is capable of withstanding all the trials it would take to perfect our faith.
There just isn't enough time or energy to go through everything we need to in order to learn everything we need to learn about God. But each of us goes through our own measure of trials. Each of us is given our own insight into God's Word. As believers share what they've learned with others – if that sharing falls on hearing ears – the person who truly listens can grow in faith just by hearing what another believer has been through. When discussing scripture, listening to what someone else has been given can deepen our understanding and bring out new and wonderful things that we didn't see for ourselves. And isn't it easier to accomplish a new and foreign task if you have someone to help you who's already done what you need to do?
Through all this disagreement… through all this sharing of differing views… the key is still oneness… oneness in spirit. Without oneness in spirit, divisiveness is inevitable. Without oneness in spirit, disagreements become fights. Without oneness in spirit, there is never a meeting of the minds.
Pray that all believers might be united in one spirit, and that disagreements would be used to build up, rather than tear down. Pray for the kind of unity that those early believers had... Pray that you and all other believers will be of one in heart and mind.
“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you.” Philippians 1:27-28a
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