What really matters?

1 Corinthians 1

 ¹⁰ I appeal to you, brothers and sisters,^[a] in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. ¹¹ My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. ¹² What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas^[b]”; still another, “I follow Christ.”

 ¹³ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? ¹⁴ I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, ¹⁵ so no one can say that you were baptized in my name. ¹⁶(Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) ¹⁷For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

Our lives are so complicated with needless conflict. Just take a look at our political institutions. Take  a look at the modern family. Take a look at the division between religions and faiths. I am amazed at what division there is in this world.  I would love for the world to be full of christians. But, does that mean there would be no conflict, no division? If you look at the divisions in the Christian Church, you would have to say NO. If you take a look at the division in the Bible and the conflict that is seen from the beginning of time, you would have to say conflict and division is a fact of life. God is saddened by the division and the pettiness of our disagreements. We are called to be in "perfect unity".  We are not followers of the Methodist Church, or Baptists, or Missionary, or Lutheran, or (fill in the blank). We are followers of Christ. 

Why can't we concentrate on the things that unite us instead of the things that divide. We may worship differently. We may have different thoughts and feelings about Baptism, music, communion, ordaining ministers,etc. But, we can agree that Christ is the son of the most High God, he was crucified, dead, buried, and rose on the third day. We can agree he died for our sins and has promised his followers eternal life. We know how he have revealed himself to US. We can see his hand in our daily lives. What else REALLY matters?