I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. 1 Corinthians 1:10, NLT
When you first unbox a new puzzle, the pieces are not pre-assembled. A puzzle is a deconstructed image. It’s up to the user to take the time to put the puzzle together. Often the box cover serves as a reference point.
Each piece is a tiny section of the larger image. It’s hard to understand what the final product is supposed to be if we’re only looking at the puzzle as individual pieces. They must come together to achieve the effect that the artist intended.
The 12 stones representing the 12 tribes of Israel were kept in the breastplate close to the heart of the High Priest. From this we learn how important it is for us to press together, to be united in Christ’s love, and to reveal this love to people, inside and outside the church.
The Breastplate was a beautiful part of the High Priest’s garment. However, its significance is more than ornamental. The breastplate symbolizes that loves that God’s people should have, for Him and for each other.
In order to represent Christ accurately, God’s children need to be united. Just as a puzzle is designed to fit together, God has created us to fit together. There are talents and skills that He has gifted us with to compliment each other as we work toward the Kingdom.
Have you ever tried to complete a puzzle on a soft or uneven surface? It doesn’t work well. Jesus is the solid foundation on which we can assemble together.
Unity is key in order to display God’s love as He intended. His love is perfect. If we, as puzzle pieces, are missing or try to force ourselves into places where God hasn’t called us, we ruin the larger picture. The image is distorted without all the pieces in the right places.
The love that we display when we’re not unified is distorted. Let’s keep working together to provide a clear and accurate picture of God’s love.
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This article is part of the Ten Days of Prayer 2018 series. Visit that page to find all the other articles in this series.
