Harmony....Have You HEARD Me Sing?

May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 15:5-6 

We ask God for so much, don't we?  We ask for health, protection, peace, happiness, help, guidance, wisdom, encouragement, patience...but have we asked Him to show us how to live in harmony with each other?  

There are those who seem to believe that living in harmony means everyone believes the same, has the same ideas, lives the same way...  Let me ask you something, would you listen to an orchestra where everyone played the same part on the same instrument?  Would you visit a zoo where every animal was the same?  Would you dine in a restaurant that only served one food? Would you shop in a store that only sold the same item?  Of course not!  

In music, harmony is defined as: "the combination of simultaneously sounded musical notes to produce chords and chord progressions having a pleasing effect."  When we live in harmony with each other, our differences work together to achieve a pleasing effect as well.  So if harmony results in a pleasing effect, why do we need to ask God to help us with it?  Shouldn't we already be living like that?  

Take just a moment and ask God to help you live in harmony with others. 

Time For A Tune Up

May the patience and encouragement that come from God allow you to live in harmony with each other the way Christ Jesus wants.

Romans 15:5 

 

I remember it like it was yesterday, the first day of band.  Up to that point, few of us had ANY musical training and it showed.  We had learning the mechanics of playing the right notes, but when we actually tried to play them it took only one note for us to realize we really sounded more like a crashing crate of pots and pans than anything, even remotely, resembling music.  Because we had not practiced and were not familiar with the nuances of playing in harmony.  We sounded horrible...slowly we just sounded painful.....by the night of our first concert we had achieved the "not too bad" level where, at least, the song could be recognized. And it took practice!  LOTS of practice!!

 

 What does that story have to do with anything?  Because God gives us patience and encouragement so that we can live in harmony with each other.  Trust me, that takes a LOT more practice than learning to be part of a band.  What happens when we don't practice the patience and encouragement God gives us?  Well, look at the news and you will see.....we end up arguing about anything and everything instead of working together to make this world better.

 

The same applies to every aspect of our lives, we end up tearing each other down instead of building each other up.  We spend our time scheming against each other instead of encouraging each other.  We become extremely impatient with each other.

 

Perhaps it's time for a tune up!  Perhaps if we start practicing patience and encouragement, we CAN learn to live in harmony with each other. 

Together

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be uppity but associate with the lowly. Do not be conceited. 

Romans 12:15-16 

 

 Suppose something happened to you that made you REALLY happy, and when you told your friend, their response was a bored "Okay."  How would you feel?  Now suppose something tragic happened in your life and you shared it with a friend, and their response was an absent-minded "Yeah, it'll be okay."  How would you feel?

 

We like it when people are happy for us and with us!  We like it when someone feels bad for us and with us!  

 

When we live in harmony with each other, we are not conceited and we aren't uppity toward each other.  Why?  Because we are following the instruction and example of Christ by loving each other as we love ourselves.  And when we are THAT connected, we become empathetic with each other so that when one hurts, all hurt; when one is happy, all are happy.

 

It's truly amazing just how much Scripture speaks of caring for each other, loving each other, and togetherness of living in harmony with each other.

Cliques? REALLY?

I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.

1 Corinthians 1:10 

I am not a fan of politics by ANY stretch of the imagination!  From office cliques to political campaigns, I dislike them all because they do nothing but create divisiveness!  We should be setting the example for others by getting along with one another, rather than creating chaos and discord.

As I am writing this, I am contemplating how to handle a particular situation where a team, who should be relying on each other and encouraging each other, has become divided....all because of a clique which has developed.

Look at what the Apostle reminds us:

     * LIVE IN HARMONY WITH EACH OTHER

     * LET THERE BE NO DIVISIONS 

     * BE OF ONE MIND

     * BE UNITED IN THOUGHT AND PURPOSE

You can't have cliques AND live in harmony with others.  You can't have office politics and be of one mind.  You can't be divided and be united in thought and purpose.

Isn't it time to let go of the childish games and start looking out for each other, encouraging each other, helping each other, and caring about each other?

Sing In Harmony? Have Your Heart Me Sing?

May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.

~Romans 15:5-7

I like to sing....but only in the car when I am alone and the windows are up.  I like to sing Joe Walton's "Rocky Mountain Way" or "Seven Bridges Road" by the Eagles or "Holiday Road" from the movie 'Vacation'.  And there's a reason I am alone in the car and the windows are up, and it's because I sing very badly.

Have you ever heard a group sing and none of them were singing the same song?  I will be honest, one Sunday morning my bride and I were attending services and there was a lovely young lady seated behind us who was a true delight to talk to, but singing was not among her gifts.  But she would make her joyful noise loudly and with all the gusto her spirit had been filled with. 

Now consider this: Each of us is a part in God's harmony called "creation."  And if we aren't helping join the harmony we are destroying the harmony!  We destroy this harmony with our attitudes, anger, hatred, disrespect of others, and believing that we are the only ones who matter.  But look at what the Apostle Paul says: "ACCEPT each other just as Christ accepted you!"  So it's not about you!  It's about the fact that God has accepted and welcomed you through Christ!  So how can we do differently and call ourselves  Believers?

And just so you know, the Apostle Paul was not the ghastly white six foot Adonis depicted in the stained glass windows.  Paul was Turkish (being from Tarsus) and was considered small (5' - 5'2") even for his time.  Paul was also stooped and almost blind due to his occupation as a tentmaker (very intensely delicate and tedious work).  Would you accept such a person?  Or are looks the only standard of acceptance used?