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Of One Mind
 
“If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.”
Philippians 2:1-2

It’s fall, and for Houstonians--who have survived the sweltering heat of summer--the advent of fall is cheerfully embraced. Besides the cooler temperatures, fall also marks the beginning of an important cultural phenomenon in Texas: college football. I still remember attending my first college football game as a child. One thing that made a tremendous impression on me was the various types of people who attended the game. There were older folks, small children, college students and people of different socio-economic backgrounds. It was a diverse group of people and yet, despite so much diversity, there was something that united them. They all adorned their team’s color and they all passionately cheered for their team. If you have attended college football games in places like Austin, College Station, Waco, Baton Rouge or Athens (I know that I have left some out!), you have, no doubt, experienced a similar phenomenon. In a time of so much division, college football retains a remarkable ability to unite people across age, culture, race and political affiliation. 

I have often thought that the unifying power of college football mirrors the unifying power found in Christianity. One of the hallmarks of Christianity is that its adherents have always included people from diverse perspectives and backgrounds. In the lectionary reading for today from Philippians 2, Paul touches upon the importance of maintaining unity. He encourages the Philippian church to be “of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord...” Unity lies at the very essence of the Christian life. This is why Jesus prayed to His Father that His followers might “all be one” in John 17. 

Unity, of course, is difficult. Sin divides us. This is why each week we confess our sins against God “and our neighbor.” Yet, despite the difficulty, unity is possible. It is possible because Jesus has “broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us.” (Ephesians 2:14) Christ is the one who unites us. He is the glue that holds everything together.

As you begin your day today, ask God for the grace to look beyond the differences that you have with others. Instead, focus on what you have in common: (1) your humanity and (2) Christ your Lord. If you do this, the differences, while real, will recede into the background and become less important. Remember, despite our differences, all of us “are one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28)
The Rev. Alex D. Graham III
Associate for Children and Family Ministries
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