“Be eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” ~ Ephesians 4:3

Here’s the church. Here’s the steeple. Open it up and here’s all the people. Many of us are familiar with this little finger-play. If you do it right, your “people” are standing nicely in two rows. Actually, now that I take a closer look, they are leaning sideways nicely in two rows like they belong in a Ripley’s Believe It or Not room. Either way, they appear to be in harmony, in sync, and presumably, in unity with one another—at least from the outside view.

Let’s pretend that the physical unity we see in these finger people accurately represents the unity in their hearts and minds as well. Wow. A building with unified people, sideways people, yes, but none-the-less, people living and walking in one accord. If you have been in relationships of any kind, you know that this type of unity is not easily obtained. And unity in the local church setting, which is full of sinners, saved by grace, and built on individual relationships with Christ and on relationships with one another, is really no different.

The reality is, however, that the Spirit of God working in His people within the local church context is greater than any obstacle that we might find coming in the way of real, vibrant unity. God is One. And there is One body. There is “one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all” (Vs 4). In other words, what binds us together is the truth of the Gospel found in Jesus Christ and the faith that undergirds our entire lives.

Every decision does not have to be agreed upon, unless it is a matter of doctrine that conflicts the faith. Every person does not have to look the same, act the same or function in the church the same. In fact, there is supposed to be diversity within the body!  It is to be celebrated rather than suppressed.  “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers to equip the saints for the work of the ministry” (Vs 11-12).  Each part of the Body is important and as such, each works together in unison with the goal of glorifying God and giving the message of the Gospel away in love and truth.

This is a beautiful picture of side-ways people coming together in the Name of Jesus to be the church. It’s a rare find for sure when you see men and women walking “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love” in the local church. (Vs 2)  God’s blessings reside in such a place. And so, when Paul says, “be eager,” he really means it! Be excited about unity, be willing and ready to fight for it and steward it well for the sake of the Gospel.