Epiphany
January 19, 2017

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:10-18

Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you should be in agreement and that there should be no divisions among you, but that you should be united in the same mind and the same purpose. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters…. For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. –1 Corinthians 1:10-11, 18

Called to be one, Christians are so divided it is hard to see how we could ever be one again if in fact we ever were. The force of good versus evil centers on the understanding that the weakest good is stronger than the strongest evil. The smallest child stepping forward to stand with another child being bullied on the playground represents the strength of good. Communities of faith coming together to share seeds of understanding represent the strength of good. Intercity churches struggling outside their comfort zone to find ways to address the needs of the mentally ill represents the strength of good. We are not required to agree on everything; we are required to love everyone. Loving everyone in community makes our weakest good stronger.

It is my understanding, I could be wrong, that the first use of the title Christian was a pejorative, meant to belittle those who followed Christ. Okie was originally a pejorative describing those who left their Dust-Bowl ruined existences seeking a better life elsewhere. Like Christians, we Okie’s choose to identify with the strength of our weakness, the will to survive insurmountable challenges and be better for it. Love in its application can seem weak. Violence and discord in our culture equate to strength. We might do well to remember violence and discord as strength describe every great nation whose fates were eventually all sealed in ruin. God’s love and peoples of God living into and through God’s love are eternal, yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Prayer: God of Justice and Mercy, make us one in your love with as many diverse streams flowing from your love as there are people who love you. We open our hearts to your enabling our diverse streams of love to form oceans of peace and justice for everyone. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.