Take That!

Did anyone see the concert for heroes at Twickenham last week? A good cause and some good acts. But what I found heart-warming was a very practical display of forgiveness. Not to do with the service men and women but with one of the acts. Very publicly Robbie William and Gary Barlow, the two main creative forces from the boy band Take That fell out when the band split 15 years ago. They hadn't spoken of their grievances to one another privately over this time, they communicated by statement through the medium of television – throwing verbal rocks at one another. After these years of animosity, they met up and spoke of their grievances to one another and then sought one another's forgiveness. The result is that they have released a joint song which speaks of the futility of the years of conflict. To their obvious delight, and that of their fans they then performed the song together.

How telling it all was. The acknowledgement that these had been wasted years in friendship and joint creative endeavour lost, not to mention the heart-ache, was salient.

We waste so much time, emotional energy, and frankly miss the opportunity to work together and live harmoniously together when we harbour grievances rather than seeking to forgive and be forgiven. The Devil loves this tactic to frustrate our efforts to serve God and see His kingdom come among us, here and now. The Church is kept week not by external pressures but internal division. Instead the ethos should be one of love, forgiveness (because we do sometimes tread on one-another's toes) and support.

This is what the Apostle Paul addresses early in chapter 4 of his letter to the Church in Philippi. Two women, Euodia and Syntyche, have fallen out. He speaks a public word to them to sort it out (I assume he knew what he was doing in this – a risky strategy - more often shuttle diplomacy is the better option) but it shows how important it is for us as individuals to sort out our disagreements quickly for the good of the whole body of the Church, and before resentment solidifies.

Keep short acccounts of wrongs and actively seek reconciliation seems to be the message; what wisdom for today's blame culture.