I have to say...

I believe that most Christians have a desire to be like-minded with other believers but in reality, this can prove to be difficult. We all seem to have a desire to "encapsulate" our beliefs and then encourage others to believe as we do. Now, I am not talking about the basic tenets of our faith like the birth, death and resurrection of Christ, but rather the side issues of life such as: what version of the Bible is the "right" one, headcoverings for women, what church you involve yourself with, and even homeschooling. Division abounds in these areas and I find it amazing that as the body of Christ, so much resentment is present as well.

As a believer, God has instructed me to know what I believe and why, and to search the scriptures to find truth. This should be a vehicle to a closer relationship with God and a means to lead others toward the truth but it so easily becomes a source of pride and division towards fellow Christians. Rather than knowing God more, I become more sure of my "rightness" and I become motivated to prove others wrong rather than proving God right. People, whether they are believers or non-believers, are usually not attracted to this type of badgering and, in fact, can become callous to God's truth because of it.

Because all of us are individuals, and God is a relational being, I think that our lives should be different from one another. The practical workings-out of our walk with God need not be homogeneous in order to be acceptable. As believers we should encourage each other to follow hard after the convictions God has led us to follow, even if those convictions differ from our own.