This week, I attended (for the first time) the Maine Adult Education Association (MAEA) Conference. A central focus of the conference was the current push to make a "one-stop" of adult education, career centers, vocational rehabilitation, GoodWill resources and the like so that, when an individual in need seeks assistance from one of these places, he/she is actually accessing the services of all. Coordinating services will not be a simple task. It will require additional effort to establish connections and set routines such that services are not redundant and do not cause extra frustration to the individual who already has enough to deal with as he/she takes care of personal and work responsibilities (not to mention any physical, emotional and/or addiction issues).
Because of the grandness of this work, it was easy to feel overwhelmed. Organization at this level requires consideration of so many factors, and a few expressed understandable frustrations of the demands especially with ever-increasing shrinkages in funds. Yet many were also quite enthusiastic, sharing ideas for coming together and supporting one another as we aim to assist those in need of our help. And by the last night of the conference, there was a celebratory feel as attendees ate together and recognized past accomplishments.
This fashion of working together towards a common goal was a theme of this week's readings. First Chronicles 12:38 talks about how David's men went to Hebron "with a whole heart" and that the people of Israel were "of a single mind," determined to see David as their king. They came together "bringing food on donkeys and on camels and on mules and on oxen, abundant provisions of flour, cakes of figs, clusters of raisins, and wine and oil, oxen and sheep" (12:40). Such congruity is awe-inspiring. One wonders, "How can they be stopped?" This is probably why Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:10 appeals to his brothers and sisters to "be united in the same mind and same judgment." So much more can be accomplished when people work together instead of distracting ourselves with bickering and boasting and a "me, me, me" mentality.
Numbers 16 demonstrates how quickly things deteriorate when a lack of unity exists. Here we see the men of Korah - chiefs among the Israelites - being envious of Moses' and Aaron's leadership positions and complaining and causing dissention. Though God has worked through Moses and Aaron to save them from slavery, they forgot such accomplishments and became envious. As a result, "the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up" (16:32). Jeremiah too establishes consequences for people who promote discord and strife. Chapter 34 tells the story of how the people in Jerusalem agreed to a proclamation of liberty and released their slaves only to bring them back into subjugation shortly thereafter. The Lord's anger broiled against them for their duplicity and lack of humanity, and He proclaimed, "[...] I made a covenant with your fathers when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, saying, '[...] you must set free [...] who has been sold to you [...] but then you turned around and profaned my name when each of you took back his male and female slaves, whom you set free according to their desire, and you brought them in subjection to be your slaves. [...] You have not obeyed me by proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother and to his neighbor; behold I proclaim to you liberty to the sword, to pestilence and to famine" (Jeremiah 34:13-17). Apparently, when actions promote friction instead peace and suffering instead of benevolence, we subject ourselves to other unpleasant experiences besides disharmony and schism - ultimately, disease and death.
Now does being united towards good mean that we lose our individuality? Does being of one mind and striving for a singular goal mean that we relinquish our unique features and passions? Hardly. First Corinthians 7:17 states, "Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him." Just like the different services at the MAEA Conference, coming together to provide more effectively, we too should bring our circumstances and talents to the table. If we are to assist in "redeeming lives from the pit" (Psalms 103:4), we must engage in peaceful collaboration, one that respects each person's contributions.
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