Getting along together and dwelling in unity are keys to God’s blessing (see Ps 133). But as any parent of more than one child will tell you, it’s not always easy to get along in families! Our selfish natures and desire to have our own way clashes violently with the same selfish nature in others! Wisdom means putting aside our pride and learning to live in humility: ‘Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here’s what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. It’s the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts.’ (James 3:13, The Message)
Pride is at the root of most sin – even Lucifer’s fall from heaven seems to have been because he wanted top priority (see Is 14:13-14, Ezek 28:14, 17) The book of Proverbs has much to say about living wisely, and speaks frequently about the difference between pride and humility (see Prov 13:10, Prov 19:11, Prov 29:3). It’s when we learn to live humbly and wisely that we can get along with others. God wants us to live in happy connections to people, but this will only happen as we remember that we are brothers and sisters, in the same family, bought by the precious blood of Christ. We are no longer to view other people through that selfish lens where people are simply stepping-stones to our own success or where all that matters is trying to look better than others or get the better of others.
The children’s song ‘Feels Good‘ has much to teach us about the importance of living in harmony, embracing differences gladly and realising belonging and being united are good things!
‘When we live in harmony, when we stand as one
It makes us stronger, stronger
When we see our differences as a work of art
The world is brighter, brighter
What we all really need right now
Is an upbeat song to sing
An upbeat song to sing,
It feels good when we’re together.
It feels good when we belong.
It feels right when we’re united:
No divides, livin’ life as one.
Tell me why we’re fighting, can’t we just get along?
‘Cause we are brothers and sisters;
Nothing strong as family, nothing breaks us apart
‘Cause life is better together.
What we all really need right now
Is an upbeat song to sing
An upbeat song to sing.’ (‘Feels Good (Upbeat Song)’, Rend Co. Kids)
It feels good when we belong.
It feels right when we’re united:
No divides, livin’ life as one.
‘Cause we are brothers and sisters;
Nothing strong as family, nothing breaks us apart
‘Cause life is better together.
What we all really need right now
Is an upbeat song to sing
An upbeat song to sing.’ (‘Feels Good (Upbeat Song)’, Rend Co. Kids)
