Galatians 2:1 (ESV): “Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me.”

Barnabas was a Jewish convert.

Titus was a Greek Christian.

Paul brought both of them with him for the journey.

So often we get stuck in our own way. We find comfort in echo chambers because, honestly, we would rather hear our own thoughts and opinions than other people’s. If we must, we hang out with people who are like-minded because it’s easier and the conversation is agreeable. Nothing is more relevant right now as the US population faces a tumultuous election year. And yes, there are actual Jesus loving Christians who vote democrat and republican, and have varying opinions across the spectrum. This of course is not a political blog, and I do not personally have any motive more than to point out, we are a diverse people.

Go to any church, you’ll find those that want hymns over modern praise and worship, or those who want pews instead of chairs. Dive further into Christendom, and we have Calvinists and those that think Calvinism is Satanic (satirically speaking, of course). So often we focus on the things that divide. We all want to be unique, and individual.

Sometimes we elevate cultural or social things to a level that interferes with our spiritual life, and the impact we may have on others.

Understand, I am not saying that social and cultural issues are not important. I am a very opinionated Christian. I ask Christ daily to make me, as Paul writes elsewhere, “a Jew to the Jews, and a Greek to the Greek”. But even this notion, gets misquoted. Paul is not being something he is not, but instead exercising which God given attributes, talents, abilities and rights he has at the moment which will have the most Kingdom impact. The point is this, be unified in Christ, and be willing to work out the rest.

Do you think it was easy for a Jewish convert and a Greek Christian to get along with an X-Pharisee? No! But what is implied is that all three were open to learn from one another, to submit first to Christ and then to each other in love.

I have two very good friends, who have been partners in ministry and mission work for years. We are all very different. We like very different things, have very different cultural backgrounds and varying interests. Yet, regardless, we have traveled the world together, and sat and drank coffee at each other’s dining room tables. We have prayed, read and wept together for years. Outside of Christ, we would probably never have been friends. Our social circles would have never had us coincidentally collide.

I am so thankful Jesus doesn’t work in coincidence. He has a purpose. Everything does.

Who do you surround yourself with? Who is pouring into you, challenging you, discipling you and joining you in life and ministry? Who do you find it hard to work with, and why? Could there be more fruit, if you could work past the surface, and make deeper, Christ enriched roots in your relationships?

Consider Paul’s example. Even if it’s going to be hard, go together.

Watch Paul David Tripp on cultivating community or this excellent message on how grace liberates our relationships.