The Gospel of Paul provides us with a window into Jesus’ immediate concerns regarding the unity among the believers in Galatia. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28. Looking into the hope of being united comes from knowing what we have in Jesus – it is the love of the Father in Jesus that could only bring us together.
If we will only consider others first, there is no issue as to who is better or best among us. Consider the analogy and parallelism of Paul in 1 Corinthians 12:14-17, “Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body, it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body, it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?
Verses 24-26 began the conclusion, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lack it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its part should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
Our elderly tells us: (“Ang sakit sa kalingkingan dala ang buong katawan”) the pain in the least part of the body is pain in its entirety. Can your lips truly smile while there is wound in your smallest finger? A person who inflicted pain to his fellow thought he or she is happy, is not psychologically sane. Revenge?, Jesus says its mine. Why don’t we just trust everything in God’s hand!
You might say, it is easier said than done, I agree! But it will never be a reality if we keep on arguing against this because of personal hurts incurred. Jesus experienced the cruelest treatment in their time. That’s comforting! He endured it for us to emulate. And so He was rewarded by His Father with the success of redeeming the human family from the hands of cruel Satan. Why not give a try and seek the help of our Lord Jesus. He admonished, I have overcome the world, so we can through Him alone.
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