My last Sunday school class started with the lesson-author’s observation that we were going to have to agree to disagree with those who hold different viewpoints. In-fighting amongst Christians, he observed, is terribly counter-productive. It sets a poor example to those who would consider joining the Faith, and it distracts us from our true spiritual journey. “Yes!” my class agreed.
“For instance,” my teacher continued, “Some faiths believe XYZ while others believe ABC. And we won’t even be able to get to talking about the real meat of things unless we can look past those differences.”
“Although, of course, it couldn’t really be XYZ,” interjected one of my fellow students. “After all, there’s only one way in which…” And it became apparent to me that our agreement to disagree held fast only so long as we were sure of being in a room with others who believe just like us.
The next day, I found myself talking with a friend who has recently joined a denomination much different than my own. In fact, I would be hard-pressed to call it a church or even a religious institution. It sounded more like a get-together party that happened to be held on Sundays. And I realized that I am subject to the same biases as my classmates.
I hope that this small article can encourage its readers to remember and practice Love above all else. If you are finding it hard to love a particular person or group of people, remember that these are the ones you are called to love the most. True love of our Brothers and Sisters is not something that we do just when it is easy or convenient. Loving is Hard Work, but it is the work most worth doing.
