16 Apr The Power of Unity
So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. (John 5:19-24)
In this example of the Father and Son, we see the principle of the power of unity. The Kingdom of God is run a bit like a family business wherein God the Father and God the Son do everything together.
To illustrate this point, Jesus was fond of using the example of an ox. One ox can pull its own weight. This is what happens when someone is working alone rather than as part of a team. Two oxen pulling against each other waste their energy and negate their efforts. This is what happens when there are divisions and factions. Two oxen yoked together can pull multiple times their combined weight–various farmers say anywhere from four to eight times their combined body weight!
This principle of sharing a load applies to marriages, families, business, ministries, and more. The Father, Son, and Spirit are so effective in large part because they are so unified. Rather than working alone or pulling against one another, they pull with one another.
How about you, is there any area of your life where you are pulling alone or against someone and not being as effective as you should be?
