When I think about unity in the body of Christ, I think about “being of one accord” with other Christians. Being of like mind and all of that. Undoubtedly, getting along with other Christians is fundamentally important to being a Christian. Didn’t Jesus tell us that this is how we would be identified as his disciples?

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

John 13:35 (NIV)

I think many of us don’t have any problems getting along with other Christians in or outside of the church, but what about those in our homes? You know, the ones we go to church with?

In Acts 18, we read about Paul being called before the proconsul in Corinth.

Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to them, “If you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanor or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you. But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law—settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things.”

Acts 18:14-15 (NIV)

Gallio wasn’t a Jew or a Christian, so when he saw the Jews calling out the Christians, he didn’t differentiate between the two. In his mind, they were all problematic.

Every Sunday, some families get up and go to church. I remember how it used to be, waking up and trying to get everyone together so we could get to church on time. Sometimes, it seemed like nothing mattered except getting to church on time. Perhaps one of the most dangerous times on the weekends, aside from the hours after the bars close, are those when Christians are rushing to church so they won’t be late. Usually, before those families got into those cars to speed to church, they hurried along to the car, maybe bickering amongst themselves.

What does that look like to the neighbors? Do they see a loving family getting up early to go to church? Can your neighbors tell how much you love the Lord if you’re yelling at your kids to hurry up? In Matthew, Jesus gave us this insight.

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.”

Matthew 5:14 (NIV)

Jesus goes on to tell us that, as the light of the world, we should “let [our] light shine before others, that they may see [our] good deeds and glorify [our] Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16 NIV).

The world is watching us because we are the light of the world. Even if everyone in your family isn’t saved, the world doesn’t necessarily know that. While we are being watched, we can either show the world our “good deeds” so they might glorify our Father in heaven, or we can show them our dirty laundry and let them think we’re just like everyone else. Lost and stumbling through this dark world. How much more vital is it, then, with our unsaved loved ones, to show the love of Christ?

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