the same mind

Baldwin County is full of debate these days. Nationally, people are concerned with Health Care Reform. Locally, Tuesday was a special election on a three-year 1% sales tax for education. Some were for both. Some were against both. Some thought one was good and the other bad. Some broke long held party lines to vote for a tax, but government expansion into healthcare is way too much. Baldwin County is full of debate these days, and St. Paul's is no exception.
Our congregation is made up of libertarians, Karl Rove Republicans, centrist republicans, moderates, centrist democrats, Nancy Pelosi Democrats, and those who you can't pin down, and we all live together under the same roof.
Paul wrote to the Church in Philippi and admonished them to "Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus." This verse often gets read as "agree on everything," but that most certainly is not the case. I mean look at Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane - he was not in agreement with himself as he struggled between running away from the cup and drinking from it.
Having the same mind as Christ does not mean agreeing with each other on everything. Thinking Christians hold vastly differing opinions on such things as human sexuality, social justice, taxes, and yes, even Scripture.
Having the same mind as Christ means loving each other despite our differences. It means feeling comfortable sharing opinions knowing that another has different ideas. It means respecting one another realizing that thoughtful, prayerful, discipleship went into the forming of one's opinions.
Having the same mind as Christ means living a life of humility.
Baldwin County is full of debate these days. The tendency is to allow debate to flow into vitriol, but those of us who call ourselves disciples live by a different standard; humility.
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.