WEEK 47 – DAY 1

HUNT DOWN HARMONY

Shun youthful lusts and flee from them, and aim at and pursue righteousness (all that is virtuous and good, right living, conformity to the will of God in thought, word, and deed); [and aim at and pursue] faith, love, [and] peace (harmony and concord with others) in fellowship with all [Christians], who call upon the Lord out of a pure heart. 2 Timothy 2:22 (AMPC)

False teachers had stirred up strife, and disagreements were rampant in Ephesus where Timothy pastored. Paul urged Timothy to pursue peace. He was to seek harmony and unity, agreement between parties when possible. Paul gave this same instruction to the church at Rome: Romans 12:18, “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.” Can we live in harmony, in unity, with those whose opinions differ greatly from our own? Not always, but most of the time, especially if both parties are believers. If two people are willing to hear each other out, there can always be harmony but not necessarily agreement. Harmony can be “agreeing to disagree” and continuing to fellowship because the disagreement is something peripheral and not essential to the truth of the Gospel message of salvation through Christ alone. Harmony in a choir involves people singing different notes that complement one another, are concordant together. As a church, we are not all singing melody, we are not in unison (on the same note) but we must be in unity, in harmony with one another. If the tone becomes discordant in the church as well as music, it will not sound pleasant until it is resolved. Resolution is not always singing the exact same note but is making sure the two notes do not clash. If you are in a state of discord, disharmony, with another believer, work to resolve the problem and restore the relationship to peace.  Pursue, hunt down, harmony. Pray the Lord will help you to live at peace with everyone as far as it depends on you. You cannot control another person’s response, but you are responsible for and can control your own.

Father, grant us the self-control necessary to pursue harmony with others!