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“How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down upon the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down over the collar of his robes. It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion.For there the Lord ordained his blessing, life forevermore.” –– Psalm 133
Call it a tale of two species. Oddly, you can actually be numbered in each species at separate times of the same day. Let’s call the first species: The Like-Minded. Their shared affinities have drawn them together on a regular basis. They could be colleagues at work, daily churning out their product of computer code, legal briefs, sales reports, spreadsheets, widgets, tax returns, endoscopies, grades, engine rebuilds, PTA agendas, or Bible lessons. They may congregate at the Keurig, the pub, the teachers’ lounge, the neighborhood pool, the trending bar, the coffee shop, or the Zoom meeting. The scope of topics addressed could be far-ranging but the theme is surprisingly consistent. The theme is not wine and cheese (though that could be the menu), but rather whine and quibble. The tone is always negative and the target is anything and anyone. So many conversations sound like the comments section after the column. Every jot and tittle is dissected with cynicism and fault, sometimes veering from merely dismissive to malicious and cruel. A target’s skin would have to be mighty thick to avoid deep discouragement. The bad cells of this species are typically drawing neutral cells into their malignancy because complaint is usually the path of least resistance.
Let’s call the second species: Koinonia - the transliteration of the Greek word that refers to concepts like community, fellowship, the joy of shared purpose, the partnership of service to something greater than self. On a searingly hot day after hard work or a hard workout, you may have experienced that rush of euphoria that follows the momentary shock of immersion in a cold pool – Aaaaahhh…. You may also have sensed a similar rush of neural energy in the shared conversations and pursuits of a group of souls who have developed a resistance to that world-weary disillusionment and complaint that characterizes the first species. Here mutual encouragement, a willingness to listen and learn, and a commitment to a purpose beyond self provide an energy that propels a people away from the malignancy of the whine and quibble crowd. “How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down upon the beard … It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion. For there the Lord ordained his blessing, life forevermore.” When the church is functioning as God intends, it joins the second species. When the church strays from the way of Christ, it languishes in the first species. In Proverbs it is written, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” Therefore, the Apostle Paul encourages all who seek the way of Christ, wherever and with whoever we may find ourselves, “Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear.”
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