Come With Us

Using Moses words, Jonathan Edwards emplored those (in his circumstances, arminian) believers with whom he disagreed, to "come with us that we might do thee good."

What a great principle for handling difference. Not to give up on his core commitments, not to start from a position of demanding compliance. But to start with a deep, godly and prayerful desire to do his opponents (and they were opponents) good.

I had an opportunity on one occasion to find out how this works in practice. A member of another ministry with whom we weren't in the best of fellowship indicated how great a struggle they were having. My colleagues and I sat down to plan how we might actively bless her and her colleagues, just for her sake and for the sake of doing so. It shouldn't have been any surprise that seeking to bless others simply for the sake of doing them good acted as a significant part of healing of wider relationships, but somehow it was.

Lets get into the habit of actively seeking the good of believers and ministries with whom we don't share everything in common. Because if we do them good, who knows, maybe we might reach a more common mind. And if we reach a more common mind, who knows, maybe they will come with us!