“Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!” Psalm 133:1
While I was in seminary at The Southern Baptist Theological Institute, I had the opportunity to serve over in Portugal for 4 months with the IMB through a program called “Hands On”. This program was designed to give college-aged students an opportunity to get a better glimpse at what life looked like on the mission field than what you get from just a week or two long trip.
The program began with an orientation in Amsterdam for 3 days, where we met with everyone serving in this program who would be going somewhere in Europe over the next 4 months, to learn the basic standards and policies of the IMB and received some training. While there, I was introduced to the 3 guys I would be serving with in Portugal.
Right away, we meshed together as a team and quickly became excited about living together and working alongside each other over the next 4 months. But our time together wasn’t void of conflict and frustration at one another. During one of these moments, our mentor during this time (a full-time IMB missionary), shared with us this verse from Psalms and explained how this is one of the most important aspects of Christian ministry. Jesus tells us in John 13:35 that “by this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Later in that same book, while Jesus is praying one of his last prayers before going to the cross, He specifically prays in John 17 that his followers will be one as Jesus and the Father are one, noting a special type of unity that should exist between us as brothers and sisters in Christ.
This was a special lesson for me to learn at that time in my life, and one that I continue to cherish to this day. This hasn’t always been the case in my life, but I can regularly rejoice with David at the times when it is true. Indeed, “how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!”
In Christ Alone,
Caleb Hecox