The Rescue Operation

We Are One In the Spirit

Carolyn Arends

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We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
And we pray that all unity may one day be restored
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
They will know we are Christians by our love

We will work with each other, we will work side by side
We will work with each other, we will work side by side
And we'll guard each one's dignity and save each one's pride
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
They will know we are Christians by our love...

Where there is division, there are things done wrong. It seems obvious when you read a statement like that. An observer from the outside looking in can many times easily discern what is right and what is not in a particular situation. The view from the inside, from the darkness isn't so easy, or so clear.

There was a long standing group who joined together for some common goals like camaraderie, shared interests and professionalism. On the outside, it had all the makings of a group of like-minded persons joined on friendly terms, destined to succeed--until they didn't.

In a vicious and passionate disbanding, this otherwise seemingly congenial group broke apart--permanently. They each, in the end, blamed the other. Perhaps they, in fact, each had a role in the thing done wrong. The rescue operation failed--it never even started. Estranged from one another, the divisions stand.

Those same persons lay low for some years, and then a new wind came to town. A group forms; some of those from the original group join the new group for the same or similar purposes. They joined without the division, as nothing had yet gone wrong.

However the possibility of something going wrong is always present for each one of us. Each one of us views events both from inside of our minds and from the outside of experience. If we are well, we see with a bright light; if not, dimness and fog clouds our eyes. We then may go wrong, with estrangement a possible result.

Many of us with some life experience have been witness to such a de-volution of persons. It may be our family, our church, our club, our workplace, or our community which goes wrong. What part do we play? What was the reason for others? Is there anyone to fault?
 Will fault even matter when things go wrong? Without a guide or some stabilizing compass, many will experience the pains of a community in disarray and the resulting enmity it produces.

There are guides available to the fallen, help for the ones in darkness. The thing about the lost is that they can become 'un-lost' or found if that is what they will themselves to.They may indeed build again to good success.
The Story of the Tenants speaks of this in Mark 12:1-12 and guidance follows in Mark 12:28-34: "the greatest commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself."
 "It's such a soothing sound", isn't it?