1014) Every year my 6th grade classes read a non-fiction account of the Shackleton Expedition in 1914 and even though I have read it more than a dozen times, I’m still in awe that the 28 men who were stranded on ice at the South Pole for two years came out alive. They survived sub-zero temperatures, lack of food, horrendous conditions and attacks by animals who almost succeed in killing them and yet, I am convinced there was a vital thing that allowed these men to survive. Shackleton aggressively sought for and demanded unity among the men. Had he let up on this at any time, the outcome would have been different.
In 1 Corinthians 1:10 Paul speaks of a subject he addressed to the Roman Christians and that was the importance of unity. As God’s spokesperson, Paul knew that strength comes from standing united upon the principles and purposes of the group. Without this, the group would eventually disintegrate.
Unfortunately, it’s easy to destroy something, so we must be vigilant that we spend our time building up and not tearing down.
