Unity

This is an excerpt from an a Christmas 2007 email I wrote to my daughters.

Dear girls,

Unity.  It sounds so simple, yet in reality is so hard.  Impossible, really, without the power of God behind it.  Unity requires a death and a birth.  A death to holding on to our desire to be right. 

I used to always think I had to prove that I was right. I did not always recognize that for some on the other side of the issue, it caused a death to their ability and /or desire to continue to discuss issues with me.  I thought the end goal of every discussion was to come up with who was right and who was wrong.  I think, in a very naive way, I thought that would automatically bring healing to the situation. 

I am learning to view discussions and topics of disagreements in a different way.  I am learning (notice I did not say I HAVE learned) to view them in light of what will bring redemption (or healing) to the situation.  I love that word in regards to every day relationships.  I used to only think of it in regards to Jesus providing redemption to me.  Now I see He can bring redemption into every conflict situation I find myself in.  What words can I say, what attitude do I need to have in order for there to be redemption in the conflict?  In other words, how can God have the victory. 

Sadly, it took me until I was 50 to start to get it.  It hit me one night as I worked on a Sunday school lesson. Jesus thought unity with others important enough that He died to make it possible. 

I love you, girls. I love how you both always give me grace when I mess up, because you desire to keep unity (or relationship) between us.  You bring redemption to my mistakes.  May God bring special grace into your lives. 

Mom