Life seems to flow so much better when things are in harmony. Whether it is with our work, health, home life, relationships with others, or our relationship with God, we may seldom have everything in balance, but when things are, we know it. Some of the greatest musical groups are known for their vocal harmonies including, but not limited to the Beatles, Beach Boys, Statler Brothers, and one of my favorites, Acappella. The dictionary defines harmony as 1. the combination of simultaneously sounded musical notes to produce chords and chord progressions having a pleasing effect. 2. agreement or concord. I suppose we could also say we know something is in harmony when we hear it or see it. How about you?
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40
When we sum up the 10 commandments, we say the first four are about loving God, and the rest are about loving others. As Christ said, these two sum up the whole of God’s law. Is it possible to do one and not the other…to love God and not love others, or to love others and not love God? Not really, as the two are tied to one another. If we say we love God, the natural outflow of that is to love those around us, and to repent when we are not doing so. If someone does not acknowledge God as their source of love, trying to love others from our own will and strength has significant limits and ultimately draws us back to selfishness. We love because He first loved us, we forgive because He forgave us, we serve because Christ taught us how to serve. We are made in His image.
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. James 2:17
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John 4:10
All our relationships work best when we are in harmony with one another, including our marriages. If things are out of compliance on either side, things do not seem to go very well. We do not have to look very far for bad examples of this. When we live with a servant heart and an attitude of love toward others, we don’t get as worked up about the little things, or the big things, for that matter. When we demand things be done our way, sparks will inevitably fly when we butt heads with others. So, as you go about your day, let your life song sing in harmony with God’s will and those around you will hear it loud and clear.
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:16,25
Yours in Christ,
Clark
