Realville
I don't live in Stepford. I have a real life and a real family. Even though we love to joke that we "live in luxury" as our apartment complex advertises, we live in Realville. We have a lot of laughter and good times in our home along with some fights and hurt feelings. I like to think that because it is so good - we love hard - we can crash hard.
People often ask how I can share so much. What help would I be writing from the heart if I had the perfect life and perfect family? I could not relate to someone like that. Thankfully, I believe God's Word is meant for real people. I believe that the people in the Bible times had the same emotions we have. They had personality flaws and emotional needs just like us. I am sure they got on each other's nerves living together in a tent, especially when it was hot! They all had to travel together! Think if you had to travel for weeks with all of your relatives!
When it rains I remind myself I would not appreciate the sunshine if we never saw the rain. Same with our family unity. We never truly appreciate when everyone is getting along unless we have experienced negativity. The psalms are for real people. Psalm 133, "How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head,
running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe.
It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore."
God has made it very clear that unity is very important. On the night He was betrayed, He prayed that his disciples would be one. Paul's letter to the Corinthians reprimanded the people that their division was destroying the church. He told the Ephesians that we are to make every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit. John tells us that if we do not love our brother who we have seen, we cannot love God who we have not seen. Think about that. It is not enough just to say it, we must show our love by the way we act.
Most divisions erupt because someone wants their way – at any expense. They consider their idea as the ONLY way and then division occurs. If we humble ourselves we realize that unity is more important than our way.
"If someone's driving you crazy why do you give them the keys?"