On Monday, I received an email from a good friend. The subject line simply read, “Could We Talk?”

Emails and texts asking to get together are not all that uncommon for me. But as I read the first few lines, I could tell this one was different:

“In your message on Sunday, you encouraged us to meet with those we need to talk things out with. I have been thinking I need to talk with you.”

Uh oh.

My first thought was, “Uh oh… what did I do?”
That is probably a reaction from being married.

My first instinct in those moments is mild panic. Am I in trouble? Did I hurt someone? Did I really muck something up?

But then the Holy Spirit reminded me once again: this is not about me.

In fact, this request to meet was a beautiful picture of what Paul was calling the church toward in 1 Corinthians. There is no room for division among believers.

“I appeal to you… that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.”
1 Corinthians 1:10

Mature believers do not let hard feelings fester and mold. Mature believers do not ignore the prompting of the Holy Spirit to resolve conflict. Mature believers do not dismiss problems as simply “the other person’s issue.”

Instead, mature believers chase after unity.

Because the church is too precious to Jesus for us to allow disunity to disrupt or destroy it. Jesus died for His Church. He has called us to pursue His holiness. And that means we must also pursue peace with one another.

The Corinthians were becoming distracted. They were forgetting who they were in Christ.

They forgot who they belonged to.
They forgot what united them.
They forgot that the church was built on Jesus, not on personal preferences or human personalities.

Disunity is often a spiritual amnesia problem.

When I remember how much grace I have received, it becomes so much harder to withhold grace from others.

When I remember how patient Jesus has been with me, it becomes so much harder to be harsh with others.

When I remember that Jesus forgave me, it becomes so much harder to justify bitterness.

Division often begins when we forget who Christ is, what He has done, and who He has made us to be.

I am so thankful my friend did not forget. Instead, my friend chose to do everything possible to live at peace with me.

“If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”
Romans 12:18

I am also thankful the Lord kept me humble enough to listen instead of defend or deflect.

As we talked, we both reflected on how we did not want to give the devil an opportunity, but instead wanted to lean into love, honesty, and unity.

“Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor… and give no opportunity to the devil.”
Ephesians 4:25–27

After we talked, we hugged and prayed that Jesus would always be the One in control.

It was a very sweet time.

I believe Jesus is pleased when His people fight for unity. And in that moment, we felt the goodness of that unity too.

As David rejoices in Psalm 133:1:

“Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!”

So today, choose unity.

Make the phone call. Send the text. Get in the car and go have the conversation.

Let’s remember Jesus by how we treat His Church.