Building Unity, Not Division

1 Corinthians 13 gives us a beautiful and challenging description of love. It is patient and kind. It doesn’t envy or boast. It’s not easily angered. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. These qualities are to be the hallmark of our relationships within the community of believers. This is the love that should define us. This love is deep, enduring, and selfless.

The church is called to be a community of love, not just in theory, but in practice. So, how can you take this love we’ve been talking about and apply it practically in our church community? Here are a few ways you could consider.

• Being kind: Taking a moment to value someone, to listen, to make them feel seen and heard. It might be a smile, a kind word, or a thoughtful gesture.
• Considering others: Choosing to put others before ourselves, even when it feels inconvenient. It’s about thinking of the needs of others before our own.
• Being content: Not comparing ourselves to others, not coveting what others have. Contentment allows us to focus on others instead of being caught up in our own desires.
• Assuming the best: Instead of jumping to conclusions or taking offence at every little thing, we give others the benefit of the doubt. We assume they meant well or that they were having a bad day, instead of assuming malicious intent.

Love is not a passive feeling but an active force that binds people together. It requires effort, humility, and vulnerability. It’s a love that is willing to step into awkward conversations, reconcile, forgive, and move past offences.

Reflect:

• Do any of the above practical ways to love stand out to you? How could you apply it today?

• What are some other ways that you could apply love practically? How have you seen love demonstrated practically in your community?