Working Together

My wife, Donna, and I just returned from the International Conference of Police Chaplains annual training seminar. I have forged very good friends with several people at this training over the past several years.

When we arrived in Indianapolis, I hugged my friend Dan, who is Lutheran. I hugged my friend Colin, who is Jewish. I hugged my friend Rickey, who is Baptist. And I hugged my friend Wesley, who is – well he is Wesley.

There were male and female Chaplains there from six countries – USA, Canada, Ireland, South Africa, Kenya and Jamaica.

For four and a half days we set aside our gender, race, theological and all other differences to work together to help each other meet the emotional and spiritual needs of law enforcement officers.

Two weeks before, I was in Louisville for the North American Christian Convention. For four days we talked about one issue that keeps followers of Jesus Christ from working together. People who don’t use musical instruments in worship won’t work with people who do. People who do use musical instruments in worship won’t work with people who don’t.

I came away from the two conferences baffled. How is it that some followers of Jesus can overcome huge obstacles in order to provide ministry? How is it that other followers of Jesus cannot overcome minor disagreements to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to a dying world? Why do we grumble that we can’t work with someone who worships with a guitar or his hands raised or blue carpet in the church building?

I know it doesn’t sound profound and probably isn’t original, but maybe if we hugged. If we opened our clenched fists to shake hands; if we open our crossed arms to embrace; if we set aside our rhetoric to talk to each other we might discover we can work together.