Rivals or Allies?

Hi, and thanks for joining us for another Daily Encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Today's reading, titled Rivals or Allies, was written by Kirsten Holmberg. The city of Texarkana sits squarely on the state border between Texas and Arkansas. The city of 70,000 inhabitants has two mayors, two city councils, and two police and fire departments. The crosstown sporting rivalry between high schools draws an uncommonly high attendance, reflecting the deep allegiance each has to their own state school. More significant challenges arise as well, such as disputes over the shared water system governed by two sets of state laws. Yet, the town is known for its unity despite the line that divides it.

Residents gather annually for a dinner held on State Line Avenue to share a meal in celebration of their oneness as a community. The believers in Corinth may not have drawn a line down their main thoroughfare, but they were divided. They'd been quarreling as a result of their allegiances to those who taught them about Jesus, Paul, Apollos, or Cephas, Peter. Paul called them all to oneness in mind and thought, reminding them it was Christ who was crucified for them, not their spiritual leaders.

We behave similarly today, don't we? We sometimes oppose even those who share our singularly important belief, Jesus' sacrifice for our wrongdoings, making them rivals instead of allies. Just as Christ himself is not divided, we, as his earthly representation, his body, mustn't allow differences over non-essentials to divide us. Instead, may we celebrate our oneness in him. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from 1 Corinthians chapter 1, verses 10 through 17. I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe's household, have informed me that there are quarrels among you.

What I mean is this. One of you says, I follow Paul. Another, I follow Apollos. Another, I follow Cephas, still another, I follow Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, so no one can say that you were baptized in my name. Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanus.

Beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. Let's pray. God, help us to remain focused on you and your sacrifice for mankind. Help us to keep the spirit of unity in all things and to call others to oneness as a community of faith. Thank you, Lord. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Christ's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.