Wouldn't You Agree?

"Has it ever occured to you that 100 pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow. So 100 worshipers meeting together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be were they to become 'unity' conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship...."---A. W. Tozer

Ever been in a church where there is a lot of talk about unity? Yeah, me too. I understand why we talk about it and even strive for it. God's word itself says in Romans 12:18 "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." There are many references to loving one another (John 13:34 and 35, Rom. 12:10, Rom. 13:8, Gal. 5:13, Eph 4:2, and so on) It is important or He would not ask us to do it. We just don't do it very well. Why is that?

We talk about it and maybe we even try sometimes, but most of us are so focused on what we want or what we think our neighbor thinks about us that is extremely difficult to stay unified for very long. So what do you suppose would happen if we took Mr. Tozer's advice? What if each individual stopped looking to themselves or to their neighbor down the row, stopped striving so hard for fellowship, stopped talking about it and all focused on Christ, the Standard? Would we not be in complete unity with our hearts joined in worship? What did Jesus himself say comes first?

"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. " Matt. 22:37-39

Order is key. We will never grow close to each other until we look to the One who is able to tune our hearts.