Year B, Lent 1, Tuesday

Inspired by 1 Peter 3:8-18a

“Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind.”  1 Peter 3:8

What should a Christian community look like?  It has nothing to do with strict adherence to a well-defined and detailed moral code.  It has nothing to do with judgment or condemnation.  And it has nothing to do with litmus tests for piety or specific spiritual gifts.  A Christian community should be where each and every member looks at every other member with love, tenderness, humility, sympathy, and in unity of spirit.

So what does that look like?  Imagine a community where a person is acting contrary to the norm.  Rather than that person being judged, threatened, or censured, every other person in the community would seek to understand why the person is acting that way, and would be open to the possibility that such behavior, though different and unexpected, is in no way contrary to the calling of the Spirit, and may even be worth emulating.  Or, if such behavior is actually indisputably sinful, every member sought to understand what drove the person to such sin, understand the reality of human frailty, and practiced forgiveness, understanding that none of us is capable of a perfectly righteous relationship with God.  That isn’t to say that sin is ignored or accepted, but rather that the community would be understanding, and seek to encourage (not threaten) this person to a better way of life.

Most of our Christian communities fall short of this ideal.  But as Christians in community with one another, this is our calling.  One person attempting to live according to these principles may encourage more to do so, and we may begin to transform our communities into places of safety and grace that can serve as a beacon of hope to the world.

Let us pray.  God of unity, you have called many different people to you.  Grant us the love and humility to accept all your children and their differences as you have, that we may truly be the whole body of Christ in the world.  Through Christ our Lord, Amen.