Can't we all just get along?

I have four children...  Four completely different children.  The oldest is a girl and then three boys.  They look different.  One has straight hair the other three have curls.  Two have dark brown eyes that are almost black, the other two have light brown eyes.  All three boys have totally different body types.  They like different things.   One LOVES cars.  The other football.  The little guy likes anything... barbies, babies, balls and cars.   Caleb loves corn, Isaiah loves tacos and pizza, Jordan likes hamburgers...  Caleb and Jordan LOVE chocolate, and Isaiah won't eat it.  

In Psalms the bible tells us that God fashions us each individually.  As a parent of 4 completely different children I can see that this is true.   We (people) are all different.  That's not news.   With differences though can come conflicts.  My children with their unique personalities and sin natures often have conflicts.  I am convinced that NOTHING is more frustrating to a parent than children fighting.  I think it's CRAZY how much they can fight about.  I think they each thrive on annoying their siblings on a regular basis.

As if that's not bad enough they can NEVER agree on anything.  If one wants to go to Chick-fila the other two want to go to McDonalds.  When I ask if they want to go for a walk to the park two says yes and the other two say they want to ride bikes out front.  When I ask if they want goldfish for snack someone ALWAYS wants something else.   If my normally hardheaded child is having a good day, my easy-going child is being tyrant...  All of this could drive a crazy person sane... 

But, watching this on a daily basis has driven home one of Christ most important messages...  John 15:12 "This is my commandment, That ye love one another as I have loved you."   Jesus told his disciples the way the world would know they were his was that they would love one another.   There is nothing worse as a parent then having your kids fuss and fight over nothing.  Surely when God sees this in the church family it breaks his heart.

It doesn't even matter to me as a parent who is right or wrong.  I expect much more out of my more mature kids than I do from the little guys.  If my 3 yr old is arguing with my 6 yr old over something he has no idea about I expect my big guy to just over look it and not argue.  I expect my 7yr old not to hit back when they have been hit.  God expects the same from us.  Proverbs tells us not to argue with a fool.  Paul says when one person celebrates a holiday and another person doesn't celebrate any that we should not make this an issue.  The Bible tells us that we all have different gifts given to us to minister to the body of Christ...  not for us to boast and definitely not to separate us.  

The family of God is full of all different and diverse personalities all designed by God.   These differences should bring glory to God, but so often we use these differences to separate us.   It doesn't matter to God who is right and who is wrong...  As a child of God our life should be marked by humility and love like Christ for our brothers and sisters.  

Instead of acting like little kids who fuss and fight about everything we need to love like Christ loved so the world will know we are HIS disciples.  Then maybe we could then "go and make disciples of all men".  Boasting only in Christ because "if HE is lifted up he will draw all men unto him".   God the Father made us different to bring glory to Him.  We are each made in His image.  Let's celebrate what makes us different instead of letting it seperate us...   In the words of the great theologian Rodney King... "Can't we all just get along?"