The concept of “divide and conquer” has long been recognized as a way to gain military or political dominance. Divisions cause weakness, but unity makes a group stronger. Jesus prayed fervently that His followers, back then and now, be united—that they be one, as Jesus and His Father were one (John 17:21).
It should come as no surprise then that Satan, master creator of divisions, has split Christians into 45,000 denominations worldwide, with over 200 of them here in the United States!
Satan has left no area of our lives untouched by division. He has managed to distract our attention away from God and divide families in various ways. Racial and cultural differences have also divided us, causing wars and oppression on a massive scale in many countries.
Jesus had reason to worry about the unity of His beloved followers. Today, we are witnessing troubling division within many Christian denominations, including the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Besides worship-style differences, with some church members described as either liberal or conservative in their religious practice, the current political atmosphere of the country has also become a major distraction for the church, putting us at risk of becoming further divided and weaker. Satan’s strategy to “divide and conquer” is working well in the church setting.
We long for ways to counter Satan’s persistent attempts to make us weak. Perhaps, the way Jesus stayed focused and addressed division can give us some reliable tools to maintain healthy relationships with others and get closer to God at the same time.
Prayer comes immediately to mind. During His ministry, Jesus often spent hours in solitary places, in communion with His heavenly Father. Almost all of us would do well to increase our time spent with God. Both prayer (our communication with Him) and Bible study (His communication with us) are great ways to put aside those distractions of the world that lead to division.
Next we notice that when Jesus did associate with others, He showed respect and a willingness to have an open, honest dialogue with them. He gave them His full attention and showed that He understood their feelings. His responses were always appropriate for the situation and showed empathy and compassion, even when His answers were not what they expected or what they wanted to hear.
We, too, can develop better communication skills that will strengthen our relationships, instead of weaken them.
- We can actively listen to people with an awareness of the feelings behind their words. (“I believe you are saying that —. Is that correct?”)
- We can graciously accept the value of their viewpoint, acknowledging and thanking them for sharing it. (“I appreciate your logic and clarity on this. It helps me understand how others think about the issue.”)
- And finally, we can ask permission before we share our thoughts and ideas or give advice. (“Would you mind me sharing how I have come to think about this?” or “I have some suggestions about what we can do to make this situation better. Can I share them with you?”)
Observing these simple, courteous boundaries (remember them as L.A.P.—listen, accept, and permission) will go a long way toward building better relationships and causing fewer divisions among those we want to see in heaven. Who knows, they might be our “next-door neighbor” there!
Let’s stay focused on God’s methods to achieve and maintain unity.
