When we follow God’s leading in our lives, we will often encounter challenges and face opposition. The Jews whose hearts God had moved to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple were afraid of the people around them (Ezra 3:3). Yet, despite their fear, they built an altar to God and offered sacrifices on it. They had responded in obedience to God’s call and were prepared to follow His leading in the face of fear. We, too, can experience this kind of courage as we follow God and His plans for us. There is something powerful about knowing that we are doing what God wants that emboldens us to attempt the difficult and even what looks impossible. Besides, as Walt Disney was known to say, “It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.”

The Jews had been back in their homeland for seven months when they all came together in Jerusalem to offer sacrifices to God (see “First Things First” blog). The Bible says they came together “as one” (Ezra 3:1). They were so unified in purpose that they could operate as if they were one person. It’s a great expression that gets at the kind of unity we can experience as we seek to serve God with those of like heart.

Yet, sometimes our understanding of unity can hinder us from actually experiencing true unity. A problem arises when we assume that unity is the same as unanimity.

Unanimity suggests complete agreement. However, unity is the formation of a whole or one by combining separate, distinct parts. Diversity is an essential component of unity.

In an orchestra, unanimity is everyone playing the same musical line as the clarinets and trying to sound like them. Unity is the trumpets, saxophones, flutes, trombones, clarinets, percussion, and other instruments playing the same song with one conductor, but adding their unique sounds and musical lines to create a complex harmony, a rich oneness.

Diverse people unified by One Person and His purposes can come together as one and accomplish amazing things for Him.

Note: Part of this blog was first published by the author in an article in the MB Herald (November, 2013 issue).

Thanks to King Cyrus, the Jews were allowed to return to their homeland to rebuild the temple. After the Jews had settled in their towns, they met in Jerusalem en masse (Ezra 3:1-6). Instead of starting the temple rebuilding project right away, they built an altar and offered sacrifices to God. This is significant! The act of sacrificing symbolized their commitment to God. They had their priorities right.

Brian Dyson, former CEO of Coca-Cola highlights the importance of priorities in this way:

"Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them - work, family, health, friends and spirit - and you're keeping all of these in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls - family, health, friends and spirit - are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life.”

As Christians, our top priorities must be God, the people He has entrusted to our care, and the calling He has given us to live. As we go through our day, may we keep first things first by continually offering ourselves as living sacrifices to God, sacrifices who are not conformed to the pattern of this world but who are transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1-2). Then, we will be in a better place to see His priorities – His good, pleasing and perfect will.