Why can't we all just get along?

 

Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? – James 4.1

 

Why can’t we all just get along?

 

The question has been asked for millennia.  Why is it that everything turns into a fight? Why is that we have personal spats and family rows and violence in the streets and gang fights and international struggles and conflicts and world wars and terrorism and bombings and all that kind of thing. Why indeed can we not just get along?

It doesn’t take long to see it start. One baby has a toy and another baby wants is and grabs it and the first bay tries to get it back and the first thing you know they are crying and fighting and are in full conflict.

 

At the root of all conflicts from two toddlers fighting over a toy to nations sending armies to war is that both sides want what they want. Sometimes there is a need that we fight to stop another from doing great evil, what some might call the ‘just war’ but too often wars are over the petty things based on conquest and greed. .

Why do God’s people fight? Too often it is for the stupid selfish reasons that James talks about here. I’ve seen churches fight over carpet colours and moving furniture and entrances to car parks among many other things. Christians fight over music or worship style or predestination or Bible versions or even more stupide things.

 

Most of the time we just need to get over ourselves. We fight amongst ourselves because we are no better than those babies.

 

Change the focus. Think about others. Let it go.