Wear the Tee Shirt

Wear the Tee Shirt

1 Corinthians 7: ¹⁰ For married people I have a command which is not my own but the Lord's: a wife must not leave her husband; ¹¹ but if she does, she must remain single or else be reconciled to her husband; and a husband must not divorce his wife.
 
¹² To the others I say (I, myself, not the Lord): if a Christian man has a wife who is an unbeliever and she agrees to go on living with him, he must not divorce her. ¹³ And if a Christian woman is married to a man who is an unbeliever and he agrees to go on living with her, she must not divorce him. ¹⁴ For the unbelieving husband is made acceptable to God by being united to his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made acceptable to God by being united to her Christian husband. If this were not so, their children would be like pagan children; but as it is, they are acceptable to God. ¹⁵ However, if the one who is not a believer wishes to leave the Christian partner, let it be so. In such cases the Christian partner, whether husband or wife, is free to act. God has called you to live in peace. ¹⁶ How can you be sure, Christian wife, that you will not save your husband? Or how can you be sure, Christian husband, that you will not save your wife?

 

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Traveling with a large group was probably a huge responsibility that I did not have to be aware of. “Put on your tee shirts” was the command I heard several times. The tee shirt had a bright color and a distinct design. Some people complained while others complied. Sure enough, someone got slightly lost in an airport in another country. I am glad we had tee shirts to identify with the group.

 

• There have been times when I saw the benefits of being together.
• There have been times when I could see the need to identify being together.
• There have been times when I saw the problem of not being together actually cause others to be affected.

 

Paul speaks a little deeper about marriage. He tries to explain the commitment required to be a witness for JESUS. Even if a believer were married to an unbeliever, he or she would be the example that leads people to salvation in JESUS. Unity is part of that example.

 

• GOD wants me to show unity so others can come to know JESUS.
• GOD wants me to seek unity as part of my service to HIM.
• GOD wants me to be open to being agreeable so HE can draw people to HIM.

 

Getting “my” way sometimes means someone else loses. I mean, it is easy to pick a fight and harder to show unity. BUT GOD wants unity wherever I am. HE is the one who provides salvation. I must align my desires with HIS so everyone will see HIM as desirable. I am glad HE cares enough for me to help me seek unity when I want “my” way.

 

• Are you part of a couple or group and still trying to get your own way?
• Do you get tired of being bound by rules and just want to do your own thing?
• Will you seek unity and surrender your life to CHRIST so HE can guide all who you are associated with, back to HIM today?