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Do you drink “soda” or “pop”? How do you pronounce the words “roof” and “wolf”? I never cease to be amazed at how many different answers I get. But that’s just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. We have different opinions about everything from the best flavor of ice cream (Hagaan Dazs Rum Raisin) to how to achieve world peace. With so many different opinions about every topic under the sun is it possible for us to be united? To be one people?

We see evidence of how deep our divides are on our playgrounds, in our homes, churches and the wars that plague our world. Jesus points to the nature of the problem in Matthew 15:19. “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.” So does God’s Word in Genesis 8:21. “The intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth.” The problem is that our hearts are sinful and broken. Our hearts are a cesspool of evil desires. That explains why the world we live in is so sinful and broken. Too many people are following the desires of their heart.

Our attempts to heal the problems don’t work. We’ve tried to dismiss them. We say things like “it’s okay” but it never has been. We tried to ignore the problems by pretending that they will get better soon or that they don’t really matter. But the problems are real and painful. We try to justify the problems by saying “they’re getting what they deserved” or “everyone is doing it.” But the chaos continues and the problems don’t get better. We can dismiss, excuse and justify our divisions but that will not bring about the unity we want. The problems are too deep.

But I have great news! Unity is possible on the playground, in our homes, churches and our country. Listen as the apostle Paul describes how God created one Church from two groups that couldn’t have been more different – Gentile and Jewish believers. In Ephesians 2:12-15 he writes, “Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ . . . that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.” 

Where the blood of Jesus Christ offers us forgiveness there is unity and peace. Not because we all agree. But because we recognize that the forgiveness and the life we have in Jesus is more precious than anything that could divide us. It’s there that diversity can be cherished and unity celebrated.

Rev. Matthew Sorenson is the pastor at St. John’s Lutheran Church. He can be reached at pastor@stjohnsfarmville.org.