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One writer offers these suggestions for living in harmony: 1) Realize that a major percentage of each person you meet is identical to you. 2) Realize that like you, each person wants to feel secure, to grow, and enjoy life. 3) Realize that each person is an asset to humanity, despite their present situation. 4) Realize that each person can potentially contribute to society. 5) Know that most people want to do well before others. 6) Realize that we can help others and others can help us. 7) Recognize that we all exist on the same planet, and we will either live together or perish together. Realities like these are what prompted the Apostle Paul to counsel Christians in Corinth to live in a way that promotes unity and harmony. The Corinthians were all bent out of shape over what spiritual gifts were most valuable. In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul counsels them this way: “Let love be your highest goal!” In other words, rather than getting all bent out of shape over the relative value of spiritual gifts, concentrate on showing love to each other. Recognize that living in community, living in harmony is the incubator for being the kind of community Christ desires. And while spiritual gifts have their place, exercising them accomplishes nothing unless there is harmony. And harmony is a by-product of love and acceptance.
