#108of365 #FaithBites #FaithJourney

Today’s lesson is about looking at something as a strength rather than a weakness. As all FaithBites are, this one is inspired by an experience of mine. I was walking to my car after work, and saw a license plate holder. In the middle of the top, it said A House Divided. On the left side was Illinois and on the right was Purdue. I should have taken a picture but didn’t think that far ahead. I have attached one that shows the same concept.

I know the plate was to illicit humor and showcase the rivalry between the schools. As I continued to walk, I thought about how often we see differences and become a house divided. These differences can be physical (e.g. race, gender, ethnicity, height, weight), they can be political (e.g. liberal, conservative), religious (e.g. Christian, Jew, Muslim), it can education (e.g. high school, college, post, technical), it can be spiritual (e.g. agnostic, atheist, monotheistic, polytheistic), it can be personality (e.g. introvert, extrovert). It can be these and so many other aspects that make us, well…us.

This house divided license plate got me thinking how many of our world’s problems are because we have this house divided concept. What if we instead looked at the strengths of our differences and became a house united?

“If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” – Mark 3:25

“But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side, and there is no adversary or disaster. I intend, therefore, to build a temple for the Name of the Lord my God, as the Lord told my father David, when he said, “Your son who I will put on the throne in your place will build the temple for my Name.” – 1 Kings 5:4-6

God is pretty clear here. He says if we are divided we cannot stand. While we may not like those Boilermakers, just kidding, they have strengths that we can learn from. Even in Christianity, we have so many divisions and sects that don’t agree with each other. Though we praise the same God, how can we stand divided? When I was going through baptism/confirmation, someone asked if I was joining the good or the bad Lutherans. I didn’t know there was such a thing. He was meaning ELCA vs LCMS. I knew what he was getting at but really? For example, my Muslim brothers and sisters have much to teach me about their lives and their struggles. If I saw we are divided and I can’t talk to them, I lose out on that experience.

In our daily lives, we fight and struggle with each other about being right or wrong. We look at their weaknesses and try to pull them down. God tells us that there is no adversary or disaster. We need to build a template for him. In this passage, he is talking about the freedom of the Jewish people, a physical adversary, and a physical home. We can overcome evil through Christ, we can build a spiritual temple, and live unified in his.

While I know that that license plate was to poke fun, let’s see what happens when we join forces and become a House United.

Are you willing to look at a perceived weakness as a strength? Are you willing to help form a United House of God?

I am willing (with the help of God).