I was in
a meeting this week that highlighted a simple reality that creates crisis in
our relationships. That reality is that
we continue to be so focused on our own belief system that we miss out on the truth
that would bring unity. Whether it is in
politics, families, marriages, or with God.
Sometimes
it takes a crisis in our lives to open our heart, mind and spirit to understand
the belief of another. Sometimes we have
to be desperate to lay down the beliefs that separate us. Belief is vital to our spiritual life, our
relationships and, of course, to our salvation.
It all comes down to what we believe and how willing we are to seek a
common point of belief in order to discover the possibility for unity.
This was
reinforced when I had a very interesting discussion with my uber driver in the
fifteen minutes it took to arrive at my destination. He asked where I worked, and since I am a
Baptist minister my answer often opens the possibility of spiritual conversations. My driver was a Christian too, but from a far
different belief practice than me. I
brought up our common belief in Jesus Christ as the only and most perfect way
to God. On this we agreed. Our agreement highlighted how amazed we both
were about our own salvations and how sad we both felt about for people who
cannot believe the truth that belief Jesus’ life, death and resurrection is the
beginning of relationship with God.
Their inability to accept the wonderful insight God gave us. This happened for me as a child when at seven-years-old
I came to believe that my sin separated me from God and asking Jesus to cover my
sins changed my status as separated from God.
It is the too-good-to-be-true Good News.
It unites me with God. It is
black and white. He is God and He is holy. I am not God and I am sinful. Jesus Christ lived a sinless life and died
for my sins so I could be made holy.
Salvation
comes down to belief. What I believe
changes my eternity. What I believe
effects the way I listen to others. No
matter how virtuous I believe my cause if I want to bring others into my view,
I need to stop judging them and figure out what is keeping them from seeing the
truths in my beliefs. Basically, this is
the context of all the marriage counseling I have ever done. I help each other describe their core beliefs
behind their cruel words and hurtful behavior.
Vulnerability becomes a gateway to unity in marriage. It opens doors that have been slammed
shut. My presence helps the two married
partners believe that a spouse really does want to show love in spite of their
previous beliefs to the contrary. What you
believe is life giving to a marriage.
Since May
I have been wearing the National Day of Prayer bracelet from 2018. The theme was “United” and the them verse was: “Make every effort to keep the unity
of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). I remember thinking that this was an absurd
ask for America. We are so divided in so
many ways. But since it was the theme chosen
and it was needed, I have been humbly asking God to bring this unity. Prayer is about miracles, right?
What if
the political divide was united through talking? What if we stopped pounding out own point of
view and listened to news programming that incited and reinforced what we
believe rather we tried to find the virtue or the nugget of truth in the
beliefs of those who oppose our beliefs and started a conversation there. Not a conversation with the agenda to get
them to come to our side of the table, but a conversation that conceded that
your belief system was the only way.
Find out why they believe the way they do, who influenced this belief
and stay on topics where you can find common ground—that is where truth lies,
where truth has not been distorted between the two of you. That is the place you can start.
Copyright © 2018.
Deborah R. Newman.
teatimeforyoursoul.com All Rights
Reserved.
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