Chuck Swindoll Daily Devotional 15th June 2025, Insight For Today
TOPIC: The Bond of Peace
SCRIPTURE READING – Ephesians 5:25–27
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Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. (Ephesians 5:25–27)
It is one thing for us to survive the blows of a world that is hostile to the things of Christ, but to be in disharmony with one another, fighting and arguing among ourselves—unthinkable.
Christ’s church has been brawling for centuries. We get along for a little while and then we are back at each other’s throats. After a bit we make up, walk in wonderful harmony for a few days, then we turn on one another. We can switch from friend to fiend in a matter of moments.
In a “Peanuts” cartoon, Lucy says to Snoopy: “There are times when you really bug me, but I must admit there are also times when I feel like giving you a big hug.”
Snoopy replies: “That’s the way I am . . . huggable and buggable.”
And so it is with us and our relationships within the ranks of God’s family. I am not referring to the variety of our personalities, gifts, tastes, and preferences—that’s healthy. The Master made us like that. It’s our mistreatment of each other, the infighting, the angry assaults, the verbal misrepresentations, the choosing of sides, the stubborn wills, the childish squabbles.
An objective onlooker who watches us from a distance could wonder how and why some of us call ourselves Christians. “Well,” you ask, “must we always agree?’’ No, absolutely not. But my question is this: Why can’t we be agreeable? What is it that makes us so ornery and nitpicking in our attitude? Why so many petty fights and ugly quarrels? Why so little acceptance and tolerance? Aren’t we given the direct command to “keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3 NASB)? What makes Christ’s bride forget those words and have so many verbal brawls?
Taken from Laugh Again by Charles R. Swindoll. Copyright © 1992 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. Used by permission of HarperCollins Christian Publishing. www.harpercollinschristian.com
