C'mon People Now

James 3:13-18

“Live well, live wisely, live humbly.  It’s the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts.  Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others.  It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced.  You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.” James 3:13,17-18 (MSG)

James admits that getting along with each other is hard work.  As I like to say, the world is full of magical people.  This is how I refer to special members of the human race – whether they are odd, unpleasant, of large and intrusive character...  It doesn’t matter what their human affliction (I know I have mine, too), simply referring to them as “magical people” immediately softens my heart a little toward them.  I still may not want to be around them, but it makes it a little easier to “get along” with them.

It really is such a simple concept to get along with each other!  The Youngbloods even wrote a song about it, Get Together:

“C'mon people now,
Smile on your brother
Ev'rybody get together
Try and love one another right now”

I remember growing up, my mom and I would get into an argument, neither one of us budging on our side.  Finally, she’d say, “Let’s just agree to disagree.”  Imagine foreign dignitaries ending a debate that way, then changing the conversation to how they can work together instead of hold grudges, fight wars, or secretly plan and plot to undermine one another.

And what is the best way I can work toward getting along with the rest of the human race, to be “gentle and reasonable, overflow with mercy and blessings, treat others with dignity and honor?”  Jesus, of course, has the answer:

“This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you.  This is the very best way to love.  Remember the root command: Love one another.” John 15:12, 17 (MSG, emphasis mine)  “This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples – when they see the love you have for each other.” John 13:35 (MSG)

Several times in church as a child and as an adult I’ve sung the song, They will know we are Christians by Our Love.  If I profess to be a Christian and do not love – do not walk in love, do not show love, do not spread love – then I am a very poor example of living a life in Christ.  If I gave love to everyone I met, how much easier might it be to get along? 

The Good News is that we have a new life in Christ, that he came for our salvation, he came in the name of love, loving every one regardless of social status, affliction, sin.  And God sent him in love to teach us how to live, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son.” John 3:16 (NIV)

So my prayer will continue to be that God help me to walk every day in love, to get along with all others I meet along the way, and to show others how much nicer life can be by making these choices. 

Amen!  :D