Psalm 133 (ESV) 1 Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity![a]2 It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! 3 It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.
I grew up in the 90s. As a young boy in the 90s, there was a great deal to be excited about! Sports, bikes, video games, highly caffeinated and sugared sodas, and discovering that a GI Joe movie happened in the late 80s and watching it until my parents lost their minds! There was just SO much going on!
Yet what was pinnacle at this day and age? The NBA! The 90s were filled to the brim with all-time greats like Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, Hakeem Olajuwon, Scottie Pippen, John Stockton, David Robinsin (my personal favorite), Allen Iverson, Shaquille O’Neal, and so many more.
Yet, one name reigned supreme. Every young man from age 5 to 15 and beyond had this very image etched in their brains. Michael “Air” Jordan! He was, and is still to this day, a cultural phenomenon! He is certainly the greatest to ever hold a basketball. Every boy in my class in 5th grade had his shoes, his shirts, his basketball cards, even video games featuring “His Air-ness!” Yet one young boy stood alone in contrast. That young boy, as you might’ve guessed already, was myself.
I am still to this day, the most huge of David Robinson fans. The Admiral, as he is known, was such an amazing athlete! So naturally I was always excited to see the Spurs play the Bulls! Everyone else in my class would tease me and pick on me for not liking Jordan. I went against the grain! Most ridiculously, I made a bold claim that to this day, a friend of mine still periodically pokes fun at, “David Robinson will go down as the best player of all time.”
Now in my mind he was and is! Not just in how he played but his personality and his willingness to share his faith in Jesus in every way he can! He is definitely in the conversation for best center of all time, but best player? Looking back, it is absurd to say. Yet, I used this statement as a fuel of sorts. I caused so much turmoil on our playground during recess. During lunch I was mocking Jordan’s pinnacle tongue hanging out of his mouth while he would dunk just to get my fellow boys stirred up and angry.
Sadly, this same mindset is so prevalent in The Church today. We each are of “a tribe” who has their own theological beliefs and stances. My particular “tribe” sadly is one that often stirs up trouble just like I used to at the lunch table. We are supposed to be brothers and sisters united by the Blood of Christ! Yet we go on our witch hunts over secondary and tertiary doctrines or from one liners that we hear that are taken out of context, or dare I say, misspoken accidentally.
Look at the scripture above from Psalms. This is a WORSHIP song guys! God desires unity in His Bride so much so that He inspired man to literally sing it to Him in Worship! THINK ABOUT THAT! Yet we lose our ever-loving minds over topics like child baptism vs the believer’s baptism, how many verses you’re supposed to have in a worship song, or what color the carpet in your church is (not joking…this really happens!)
Now please let me be clear. There ARE false Gospels and false heresies about God. The church has been plagued by them for centuries. Further we MUST be vigilant to be watchful for these things and protect each other from them. However, when did we lose our discernment over the critical doctrines, and equating the secondary items with salvific theological stances?! What’s wrong with us?! There are over 6 billion people on this planet right now that do not know Christ. Meanwhile we are so full of ourselves arguing over foolish things.
Guess what? Those same 6 billion people…they’re watching, and they’re remembering. It is time to deprioritize our favorite pastors, theologians, commentaries…and pick up our Bible and actually put it to use in the world.
Imagine what the world might look like when the Bride of Christ is united for His Kingdom?
SOLI DEO GLORIA!!!!
