I love the physical house of God. I love the gathering of the brethren. I genuinely love the God-idea behind community. It reminds me of a God fully committed to helping and supporting us in every way, even through His vessels on earth.

Adrenaline levels tend to climb when we’re in environments that trigger happy hormones in us, like church. So we get active and excited. It’s amazing that within same environment, we can feel deep soberness, sorrow and grief, whether in commensuration with a fellow brethren, or just from within our spirits (as I write about here).

The balance of jubilation and sobriety is a characteristic of the church. That there’s fullness of joy, and at the same time deep meditation and reflection on what we’ve come into because of the cross.

I’ve seen churches hyper fixated on joy, jubilation and celebration, and I’ve seen the ones completely given to sobriety and solemnity. Neither makes the other better, we will just all align to the system we’ve come into, or are convinced about.

I personally tilt much more to sobriety and solemnity, but I recognise even scripturally, the place for joy and celebration. I could make my preference the lens I view every church, or I can realise that my preference on non-edifying matters is not the standard of God, even with Gods Spirit in me.

I’ve been studying Romans 14 for some days now. I’m ashamed to admit the number of times I’ve read that chapter in the last week. I personally have called it ‘the chapter of this church age’, because in the times we’re in where there is higher focus on what divides us than what unites us, it’s important we go back to the bibles teaching on accepting one another in our differences and pressing for unity and peace.

Paul does an excellent job reminding us that we are all servants of one master and only the master reserves the right to determine which servant stands and which falls, because of their actions or inactions.

The chapter encourages us to focus more on what edifies us in unity, and not the inconsequential things that divide and also takes edification away.

So now and in the coming days when we will see and hear of Christian’s, churches and denominations doing things that don’t contradict the teaching of Jesus or put anyone in harms way, rather than judge it by how we know it to be, we can make an allowance to accommodate it for the sake of unity and edification, for those convinced of it.

I’m convinced beyond every doubt that the Holy Spirit creates balance anywhere He is welcome. So we will see His working in people and communities where He has been embraced. We will see the balance not as uniformity to us or what we know, but as evidence of His presence even if it is unfamiliar to what we have known.

In addition to Romans 14 (which I highly recommend as a study chapter for every Christian living through this time), I’ll conclude with this verse; “And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.” – John 10:16

There is sheep of other folds asides your own, but are also in Gods fold. The time will come when God will unite us all together, but until then, rather than scatter over earthly-bound issues, let us insist and make room for peace, unity and edification.

Much more than being part of the superior fold, we should desire to be a faithful servant of the master.