Striving—For What?
Sometimes I toss old bread down on the lawn next to the lake for the wild ducks. Most often it is a sea gull that first notices the free morsel. He carefully circles, inspecting the bread, then lands next to the gift.
Rarely, however, does he get to eat it. Instead of enjoying the "bread from above," the gull usually broadcasts a loud scream heard all over the lake which alerts every other gull. The gull's brethren quickly respond to the apparent challenge, and encircle the first gull. He then begins to vehemently fend off each intruder as they fight for the bread. Finally, as the first gull is busy defending "his bread," another snatches the morsel away and they all fly off in a wild dogfight.
Why didn't the first gull just enjoy the free dinner in peace? Why did he dare all his brethren to come and "just try to steal my bread"? This often seems hilarious to us as humans, but I think sometimes God's saints act a little like sea gulls.
As the gulls were striving needlessly over a piece of bread, so the Lord's people sometimes strive needlessly about "words to no profit." 2 Tim. 2:1414Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. (2 Timothy 2:14). And as a few may strive about words—even the Word of God—sorry to say, many others are subverted. Why do we not enjoy and feed on the Word of God for ourselves and share it with others, rather than challenging our brethren on what we only know in part?
If Christians must strive, could they not strive "together for the faith of the gospel"? Phil. 1:2727Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; (Philippians 1:27). Does not the Word of God firmly command us to stand fast in one spirit with one mind to reach out to souls, to give out to sinners, to seek out the lost? Do we not have the unsearchable riches of Christ to freely give to those who are in unsearchable poverty? Shall we argue among ourselves over tidbits of truth we wrongly feel is only ours, when multitudes around us have never heard the truth as it is in Jesus?
How good it is to see saints laboring together in the gospel for the glory of God, and for the knitting together of His people.
T. Clement
Stand fast in one spirit...
striving together for the
faith of the gospel.