“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, That ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: That went down to the skirts of his garments” (Psalm 133:1–2).
It is nearly impossible to get everyone to agree on something if you get a group of people together. You don’t believe me? Just ask a group of two to three people what restaurant they want to go eat at. Ask another group what brand of car is best. You’re likely to hear a myriad of suggestions, and arguments. That’s because individuals have opinions and preferences. Unfortunately, our individualism doesn’t get left in the parking lot when we enter into a group.
Now think about a unified group. Give a group, made up of individuals, an idea that they can all agree upon and they can make an impact. United they stand, and divided they fall. The psalmist can boldly proclaim, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.” There’s a lot to unpack in this statement. Dwell together in unity? Has the psalmist ever been on a road trip with his family? Has the psalmist ever attended a church board meeting? Has the psalmist ever lived with female family members in a house with one bathroom?
Dwelling together in unity is only made possible when you consider one another as brothers and sisters. Most churches, and ministries within churches, lack unity because they fail to see each other as brothers and sisters. Instead, they’d rather cling to personal preferences and opinions than allow the greater good of the group to prevail. They’d rather see brothers and sisters in Christ as opponents to their agenda, than to subject themselves to unity. This is where seeds of gossip and backbiting are planted. In order to keep power, they attract those who agree with their opinion and then attempt to destroy those who disagree. The church is not unified with a multiplicity of cliques. The church can only become unified when we recognize that God is our Father, and that His agenda takes precedence over everything else.
Pause the next time someone in the church disagrees with you, and recognize that they are your siblings in Christ. Check your motives and spirit before you overreact. Anybody can be disagreeable and contentious. But, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers and sisters in Christ to dwell together in unity!