By: Rex Stump
Unity and teamwork are foundational to success and growth in all parts of life. Businesses, teams, churches, and families strive towards unity, as they understand this to be true to finding success and peace.
Good leaders will be alert to moments of disunity, misunderstandings, or outside forces that could cause fractions.
There was a moment in history in which the nation of Israel almost started a war with each other due to a simple misunderstanding. In the book of Joshua, chapter 22, the people of Israel had finally entered the promised land and began to settle in their allotments of land.
There were two tribes (Reuben and Gad) that settled on the east side of the Jordan River, while the other ten settled on the west side of the Jordan River.
The tribes of Reuben and Gad built an altar on the east side of the river, in sight of all people, including the tribes on the west side.
Immediately those on the west side took notice and panic ensued! They thought these two tribes were abandoning God and the people of Israel and had begun to worship false idols. This meant war!
These people had seen enough death and pain, due to rebelling against God. They wanted to ensure that their relationship with God would not be hampered. So, they gathered representatives to cross the river and confront these two rebellious tribes!
They crossed the river, and soon discovered that these two tribes loved God! They feared God! They built an altar to remind all the tribes that just because they were on the east side of the river, they still belonged to one nation, and worshipped one God.
They feared that future generations would see the river as a division of thought and religion. Their hopes were that the altar would encourage future generations to worship God. What was meant for good, was misunderstood.
As I mentioned earlier, good leaders are alert to moments of disunity, misunderstandings, or outside forces that could cause fractions.
Praise God that Phinehas sat down and had a conversation with these two tribes, before jumping to conclusions and going to war.
It’s hard, but when you find yourself frustrated with the actions of your co-workers, family members, or teammates…pause, pray, and seek a conversation.
We live in a flawed world, where misunderstandings can easily fracture relationships. Pursue peace, pursue unity….
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Rex Stump is the Area Director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and serves as a Pastor at True North Church in Wauseon, Ohio.
