I’m told that I’ve been singing for a very long time. As a young child I used to stand in the kitchen and sing. I’ve always loved music, in fact I tend to play by ear. While I have a good ear for music there’s a few things I still don’t feel very skilled in. One of these is harmony. I love to hear creative harmonies over and around a great melody, and if I practice I can imitate these, but I still find creating them well difficult. Often what I think sounds good is actually me simply drifting from one harmony part to another and sometimes makes it harder for others to sing with me. Harmony is important, and when it’s off others are thrown off too.
It’s no different in life. It simply feels good when we are living in harmony with others, but when there’s conflict the harmony is shaken and the melody of life gets befuddled. As a pastor the most difficult times in my life and as I walk with others is when there is conflict, and especially when it is a continuing unresolved conflict. Whether it’s something spoken or done in person, or in an email, text, or on social media before the wide eyes of all to see.
In Colossians 3 Paul teaches us how to live New life in Christ and speaks about following the Holy spirit in being free from sinful activities, and he speaks about this in terms of our clothes. We take off old patterns and habits, but following Jesus isn’t about what we “can’t do,” there are some new clothes we get. After a list of these we read in verse 14…
Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.
Colossians 3:14 (NLT)
The Faithlife Study Bible says the following about this verse, “Even in the community of believers, the actions of some offend or hurt others; how believers respond is critical.” God created harmony, and He created us for harmony, and the only way to bring a messy season or situation back into harmony is love. God is love, and as followers of Jesus and as humans who are his image bearers we are most in harmony when we are acting in love.
So if you are in conflict with someone, respond with love, offer forgiveness, make right what’s wrong, and begin to move back into harmony as you clothe yourself and ultimately your relationship with God’s love that creates harmony.