There’s much talk of unity these days as we all face the challenges of change.
Unity, as defined by dictionary.com, is “the state of being one; a whole or totality as combining all its parts into one.”
Unity is wonderful and much needed when that which is uniting us is of God and suited to His purposes. But what happens when motives are contrary to His plans?
At one time all the people of the world spoke the same language and used the same words. As the people migrated to the east, they found a plain in the land of Babylonia and settled there. They began saying to one another, “Let’s make bricks and harden them with fire.” … Then they said, “Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky. This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world.”
(Genesis 11:1-4, NLT)
The people had already been told by God to be fruitful and fill the earth, in other words … they were to spread out.
But instead, they stuck together and found strength in their numbers. And pride set in.
Instead of humble obedience, we see pride taking over as they desire to make a name for themselves.
To keep them from their self ambition and promotion, God confused their language so that communication with one another became impossible. And in that, the people scattered.
Three lessons come to mind:
- Seek God first in all things. God, and God alone, is to have first place in our hearts and minds.
- We must humbly obey God in all things. We are not to do anything by means of selfish ambitions.
- In all things, be careful with whom we align ourselves. We can be united for the wrong reasons.
Unity is achieved only through God and for His purposes alone.
May all we do be for His glory and Him only.
Today I am joining … Thought Provoking Thursday and Grace Moments and #ChasingCommunity .
I think your point about humility is so important. The confidence that we find in “numbers” when there’s a wrong kind of unity could be filtered out if everyone is working from a place of humility before God.
I love your point about humility as well! If my heart is humble before God, I will act from a place of love and grace for others, even when we disagree.
Joanne, unity is key to being useful and available to God, isn’t it? Together we can do so much more than we ever could divided and prideful. 🙂 Nice post, Joanne, thanks for sharing — and thanks for linking up at #ChasingCommunity today! ((hug))
Great point, Joanne. I was just reading this morning about the Lord only wanting 300 men to fight a battle instead of the huge throng that had gathered. Sometimes smaller numbers are better so the Lord can get all the honor.
This mirrors my pastor’s words from last night almost exactly. Wow!
Joanne,
This is such a valuable piece of wisdom you lead us to ponder… it is unity IN CHRIST that allows a true liberal freedom to be maintained and lived. Even in my American Lit and Government classes, with many kids who have grown up in church there are so many different ideas of right and wrong and what is ok and what isn’t. Where people are concerned I wonder if we’ll ever truly be unified, but where our will is bent to His there is always hope.
Blessings,
Dawn