Years ago, when President Ronald Reagan was being rushed to emergency surgery to remove a potential assassin’s bullet, he asked his surgeon, “Are you a Democrat or Republican?” The surgeon wisely replied, “Today, Mr. President, we are all Republicans.” The national crisis had brought the country together and set aside political partisanship. All Americans were part of the same family.
We need to remind ourselves that we, Christians, are all a part of the same family. Minor issues have a way of allowing us to become conflicted in the Body of Christ. Today, the church finds itself with a declining influence and declining spirituality in America. If we ever want to reach the lost, then we don’t need to be fragmented as a family. We need to come together in unity, focus, and purpose.
A bereaved family reminded me last week of how important it is to be a part of a Small Group. As members of Fort Johnson, they shared with me how moved they were by the outpouring of love and support they received from their class. It is times like that that remind us that we shouldn’t take our relationships for granted. Perhaps now, more than ever, we need to come together as God’s children who are part of God’s family. In church, we learn (and practice) how to love each other, care for each other, and pursue unity in our family of faith.
What will you do this summer to build up the family of God? The summer offers some great opportunities for fellowship. Would you be willing to host a fellowship for your Small Group? Would you be willing to reach out and make the extra effort to invite those on the “fringes” of your group that desperately need to be included? Would you be willing to plan an outing and include EVERYONE on your class roll?
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