Introduction

Good morning, brothers and sisters. It's good to be together in the house of the Lord. Today, we're going to dive into an incredibly important topic that's been tugging at my heart: living in harmony with one another, agreeing to disagree, and loving each other in the midst of our differences.

Corrie Ten Boom once said, "Be united with other Christians. A wall with loose bricks is not good. The bricks must be cemented together." If we could all learn to think of ourselves a bit less and others a bit more, can you imagine the harmony we'd have?

Let's dig into the Word. We’re reading from Romans 12:15-17.

"Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone."

Let's pray.

Living in Harmony with One Another

Living in harmony with one another is a call to unity, togetherness, and mutual respect. It's about recognizing our shared humanity, our shared status as children of God, and treating each other accordingly. This is not a call to uniformity, but rather to unity in diversity. It's about finding common ground, understanding, and respect amidst our differences.

Harmony: In its most basic sense, it’s about different elements coming together to create a pleasing whole. In music, harmony is created when different notes are played together, creating a sound that is more beautiful and complex than any single note could produce on its own. Similarly, in life, harmony is created when we, with our unique perspectives, experiences, and gifts, come together in love and mutual respect.

Requires humility: It requires us to recognize that we are not the center of the universe, that our perspective is not the only one, and that we have much to learn from others. It requires us to put aside our pride, our need to be right, and our desire for control, and instead to listen, to learn, and to love.

This is not always easy: We live in a world that often values competition over cooperation, individual achievement over community wellbeing, and power over humility. We are often taught that our worth is determined by our ability to outperform others, to prove ourselves right, and to assert our control. But the Bible calls us to a different way of living. It calls us to value each other, to seek understanding, and to live in peace.

Requires forgiveness: We are all human, and we all make mistakes. We hurt each other, often without meaning to. But if we hold onto our hurts, if we let them build walls between us, then we cannot live in harmony. We must learn to forgive, to let go of our hurts, and to seek reconciliation.

This does not mean that we ignore wrongdoing: We also should not allow ourselves to be mistreated. It means that we address issues with love and respect, that we seek justice and fairness, but that we do not let our desire for justice turn into a desire for revenge. It means that we recognize that we are all flawed, that we all need grace, and that we are all capable of change.

Not a passive process: It requires active engagement, intentional effort, and continual growth. It requires us to challenge our prejudices, to question our assumptions, and to expand our understanding. It requires us to seek out those who are different from us, to learn from them, and to build bridges of understanding and respect.

A journey, not a destination: It is a process of growth and change, of learning and unlearning, of building and rebuilding. It is a journey that we undertake together, supporting each other, learning from each other, and growing together.

Pastor, here would be a good place to share a personal story about the beauty and challenge of living in harmony with one another.

Agreeing to Disagree

Agreeing to disagree is a concept that is often misunderstood and underutilized in our society ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO