Why Can't We All Just Get Along.
Why Can’t We all Just Get Along?
Ephesians 4:32 :And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you/[1]/
Well this is “Love month”. Based on Valentines day being the day that the romantic comes out in you we think of this month being a month of relationships. So, Rodney King’s question comes to mind. “Why can’t we all just get along?” Can we? The Bible says that two cannot walk together except they be agreed.
Now I waited in two lines yesterday. Let me tell you a little of my experience! What is it about intersections.
One will not stop all together.
One will wait.
One will flag you on.
One will race his engine while he waits.
Also in the book of Deuteronomy it says not to yoke an ox and a donkey together. They are both beasts of burden. They both can pull. But the question is, will they pull together or work against each other?
However these are two beasts. Isn’t it possible that human beings can put aside their differences or better yet celebrate and exploit their differences for the common good?
Getting on a busy elevator…
¨ The D walks up, gets on the elevator, and pushes the button that closes the door.m 3%
¨ The i lets other in, says “Always room for one more,” and “Come in, you’re going to be late; we’ll wait for you!” 12%
¨ The S will wait in line, moving from one line to another, appearing unable to make a decision. 69%
¨ The C will get on the elevator. If it’s crowded, the C will count the number of people and, if the number is over the limit, will make someone get off. 16%
Let’s look at these 4 animals:
Ants: D (choleric) These people are not strong but they prepare their food for the winter in the summer. Do you know someone that just wants to get it done. They have bulldog tenacity. These folks want to get it done so badly that they might hurt the feelings of the persons around them. They have a dominance personality. Bible example: Paul
Rock Badgers: (S or phlegmatic) These people strengthen themselves by blending into the crowd. They are feeble people but they make their home in the crags. Actually most people fit this profile. They find security and a comfort zone and that is where they abide. They don’t want to change because that makes them feel vulnerable. They are good team players because they don’t want the lead. However sometimes motivating them to do something is tough. One pitfall is having the y’all go ahead ministry. One can look at this two ways. They are known as S’s or for their steadiness. They kind of balance out the rest of us. Bible example: Barnabas
3. Locust (I or sanguine) have not king yet they advance in ranks. In other words they like a crowd. Let’s just have some fun. Whatever they do, they want to make it fun. They are the relaters. These people are the life of the party. They are the influencers. Bible example: Peter
4. Lizard [Spider]- (C or Melancholy) You can hold them in your hands, yet they are in king’s palaces. This means they are analytical. They do things the right way. They are slower than the D at getting things done, but when it is done it will be right. Tbey want all the facts. Because these folks want things done right, they are so often seeing the reality of the wrongs. They are very much realists to a fault and may come across as pessimistic. Often they may battle depression because everything is not as it should be. Bible example is: John.
All of us are a blend of all of these. We see even Bible characters having conflicts. Paul had one with Peter. Paul had one with Barnabas. Peter had one with John. Yet God didn’t hide that from us. God wants us to learn from the interpersonal relationships of the Bible and kind of sums it up this way.
And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you/[2]/ NKJ V
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[1] The New King James Version. 1982 (Eph 4:32). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[2] The New King James Version. 1982 (Eph 4:32). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.