Division, whether in a personal relationship or on a much larger scale, is unpleasant, to say the least. It is most often caused by the side-taking that arises (my side against yours) when we allow opinion and human reasoning to motivate us, and it never leads to a harmonious or mutually beneficial solution. Let’s face it, most of us have had experiences along these lines.

But there is a joy-giving alternative to taking sides against one another—one that has a unifying effect in the world, no matter how divisive the situation. As Christian Science teaches, it is to silently and steadfastly side with God, the One who holds us all in eternal union with Him and one another.

Whenever a divisive issue comes up, I ask myself, “On which side am I fighting? The dividing side or the unifying side?” If you were to ask the same question, the answer may not just surprise you but cause you to take a 180-degree turn—in other words, to relinquish fallible opinions and human reasoning and trust that by siding with God we are being a healing influence. Christ Jesus taught that there is, in fact, no “side” to take but God’s, and he showed us how to do it.