“How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!” ~Psalm 133:1
“Christian brotherhood is not an ideal which we must realize; it is rather a reality created by God in Christ in which we may participate.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together
It is by grace alone that we are able to live in community with Christian brothers and sisters. Only through Christ as our mediator are we able to live with one another in peace, loving and serving one another. While the fellowship of Christian believers is a source of incomparable joy and encouragement when lived out Biblically, it is all too often discolored by our human nature.
Team Triumph enjoyed a sweet honeymoon phase of loving each other and eagerly preferring each other. However, Romania has moved our team beyond the honeymoon and into a phase of discovery. Our differences (in background, in personality, of opinion, of spiritual gifting) are becoming more prominent and evident. While these differences can be the strength of our team, at times, we have allowed them to plant seeds of division between us. While conflict is infrequently spoken out loud, I can tangibly feel the tension and experienced the aftermath. -
To take time to be alone. We do spend a lot of time together, physically, although we may not be interacting with each other. World Race rules don’t allow us to be alone ever, which means we’ve had to struggle to find time for ourselves, just to think. Many of us have adapted by plugging ourselves into our iPods to escape, but for those of us who would rather listen to the natural world, it has taken some time and conversation for us to figure out that it¡¦s not offensive to others to walk together without talking.
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To give grace. Most of us grew up quite differently, one of us on the international mission field, one of us on a dairy farm, one of us in a bi-cultural home. I grew up in a Chinese-American home in suburban German/Scandinavian Minnesota. Many subtle nuances can be read into the things we do and the way that we do them. However, instead of becoming annoyed or frustrated by these cultural differences, I am trying to learn from my teammates and am constantly challenged to think differently by their alternate understandings or opinions.
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To stop and listen first. You would think that as a therapist I would have already figured this one out, but when it comes to my personal life, I have a long way to go. When my first reaction is not a positive one, I’m learning to shut up! Instead of jumping to conclusions, as I am prone to doing at times, I am learning to shut up and listen up, because more often than not, I have something to learn about myself or about my teammate. Instead of jumping to conclusions, I am trying to give ear to my teammates and have avoided much miscommunication in this way.
I don’t presume to have accomplished all of these things. Learning is a process and I am sure I will stumble many times throughout the next 9.5 months. Yet, I hold fast to the truth that God is continually molding me and gives grace abundantly and freely. I hope my teammates will too. Please continue to be in prayer for our unity as we are learning to love others who are different from us.
