I was once loaned a book by a preacher who invested heavily in my ministry called "Gun in Hand, Bible in Pocket," which detailed the lives of many of the Circuit Riding preachers in the late 1800s and early 1900s. These preachers would ride from town to town, church to church, plying trades and reading the word, and it was often treacherous, due to weather, bandits, and other factors. Yet what I found most shocking was the way in which believers treated one another because of denominationalism. They would literally burn one another's churches down! In today's politically driven culture (even more so in election cycles), we have not let that drama really die down. Where the word tells us there is no division in Christ, neither Jew, nor Greek, Male nor Female, slave nor free, we allow ourselves to stay divided along political, ethnic, and denominational boundaries.
When stopping in Samaria, Jesus told the woman at Jacob's Well in Sychar l that it wasn't the physical location of the place of worship (The Mountain in which Samaria was located vs. the Temple at Jerusalem), but that God would be worshipped in Spirit and Truth (John 4:1-26). Yet we, like sheep gone astray, each chasing after a different Shepherd, but not listening to the voice of the Good Shepherd (if we don't recognize His voice, are we truly His?). Division is our fault. The World will always do as it does. Jealousy, anger and division is a part of its natural course. Yet the Church, no matter the building and socioeconomic status of the community it is in, should always be united as a body with Christ as the Head (1 Corinthians 12-14, Romans 12). We have no excuse before our creator as far as division is concerned. We need to, then seek Godly wisdom, seeking God's way of unity, peace, and reconciliation, as far as it is from us, so we can be at peace, and show the world what God's intent and purpose is.
James 3:13-18- "Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. "
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