Unity—our natural inclination

Divisiveness seems prevalent these days. We see it in national and international relations and in society in general. It impacts communities, churches, and families. 

Some would say that this is human nature, a view predicated on a perception that we are driven by fear and motivated by self-interest, in perpetual competition with our neighbor. And God is frequently conceived of as the originator of this imperfect individuality. With the underlying concept of everyone having their own private sense of good, their own mind, and their own interests and goals, conflict becomes inevitable, and spiritual unity, with its associated peace and harmony, eludes us.

Many people find this definition of a selfish human nature, and a divine nature that allows or even causes it, unsatisfying, even unsettling, as though we are condemned to live out a life of inharmony and unending strife. Rejecting such a viewpoint, yearning for a higher ideal of humanity, and seeking a more substantial and lasting sense of brotherhood and sisterhood in unity with God, people often turn to the Bible. There we find men and women faced with the same kinds of challenges that we experience today, and we see concrete, practical examples of how they overcame those challenges through a more spiritual approach to life, an approach we can put into practice ourselves.