All Hands on Deck

I recently heard a news report concerning a study which concluded that the divide between younger and older generations is worse than it has been since the 1960's. This past weekend it was exciting to see the interaction between those who are under 25 and those older than 25. For too many years we have allowed the enemy to divide and separate the people of God.

In today's world there are many artificial barriers and divides between people and people groups. The enemy has used the divide and conquer strategy to separate, humiliate, and render people useless. His ultimate goal is to make them ineffective in carrying the image and glory of God.

"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal 3:28).

"... there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all" (Col 3:11).

In order for the church to be healthy and effective in the ministry that God has given to it, we must have "all hands on deck." We need each other regardless of sex, age, race, nationality, or any other distinctives used to divide people into groups.

Paul's admonition to the church at Corinth makes this very clear ...

"For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit ... 20 But now there are many members, but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” (1 Cor 12:12-13, 20-21).

Let us commit ourselves to God, but also to one another, recognizing that every member of the church is important and has much to contribute. Together, and only together, will we be successful in advancing the Kingdom of God.