It Starts Small

There is a reoccurring theme throughout the New Testament. The early church leaders were having relational divisions and difficulty working together. Many examples can be found in the letters to the Corinthians. Paul, who was not known for sugar coating anything, confronts them about their divisive attitudes.

Being in ministry then was a challenge and today, still is. It is safe to say the tension those leaders felt exist today. That is a diplomatic way of saying, Sometimes we can be a mess.

Our relationships with one another can not be a “mess” if we want a strong relationship with Christ. It is not reasonable to expect peace with Jesus while we are out of sorts with each other. Paul encourages us to be exactly as divided as Christ.

How was Christ divided? He was not.

When our relationships are weak, we look at ways to work around each other. When we fail to lean upon each other we miss the relational benefits of doing ministry together. This is what causes division. We work around and against each other. We do not pay the price so much as those around us do. Together, we can have a sense of community based on real life experiences that are earned at the the front lines of ministry.

Paul uses a metaphors in 1 Corinthians 3/ Some of us plant seeds. Some of us water seeds. God is in charge of growing the seed. We can trust God to do His part if we do ours. Through his Spirit we can draw from a bottomless well of unity and be a model for our church communities to follow.

The best part: we can be right in our relationship with one another AND Jesus.

Thoughts to Ponder:

• Have you ever experienced division in a church, community, or personal relationship? What was the outcome? Who did it affect the most?
• How can you prevent division?
• How does having a strong relationship with Jesus influence unity and not division?

© Kimberlee Smith 2026 http://www.itstartssmall.com All rights reserved.