Harmony

Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.

1 Peter 3:8 NIV

A fifth-grade music teacher asked her class to sing “Do Re Mi,” a song about the musical scale that was made popular in the movie The Sound of Music. The children did so in unison, all singing the same notes as they worked their way up the scale. Then the teacher asked half the class to sing the song again while she led the remaining students in singing up the C-major scale, holding each note until it was time to go on to the next. In that way, she taught the class two-part harmony.

A lot of us need to learn the difference between unison and harmony. The Bible doesn’t tell us to live our lives in unison. Your friends, family, and fellow believers all have different personalities, backgrounds, and opinions. We have different levels of spiritual maturity, different strengths and weaknesses, and different gifts. We aren’t all going to agree about everything.

Instead of being argumentative, learn the secret of harmony. Respect the opinions and personalities of those the Lord has placed in your life, and don’t always expect to have your own way or have the last word. Live in harmony with one another.