Why Unity Matters to Zion—and How to Protect It
In his first letter to the early Saints at Corinth, the Apostle Paul admonished them, “Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer (1 Cor. 10:10)”. As a Latter-day Saint, I understand the word murmur to mean not just complaining, but a spirit of rebellion or ingratitude. It’s not just the action of speaking those murmuring words; it’s the attitude behind the words that constitutes murmuring. That’s dangerous – murmuring weakens unity, and unity is essential for building Zion. The process of building Zion is part of our preparation for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
Context
The incident to which Paul was referring occurred when the children of Israel were returning from Egypt. Moses sent 12 spies to explore the Promised Land and instructed them to bring back a report on the people and the land. Of the 12, only two, Caleb, the son of Jephunnah, and Joshua, the son of Nun, said positive things about the land. The other 10 decried every aspect of the new land, advising Moses to look elsewhere. As a result of their false report, the Lord struck the ten with a plague, and they all died soon after their return from their scouting mission.
The children of Israel, as they journeyed from Egypt to their destination, expressed, in their murmuring, not just dissatisfaction, but a dismissal of the need to be one in their efforts. It was a portrayal of a collective spiritual disunity. We see too much of it in daily life in our time. We see it in our communities, online, within our own families, and even in our church congregations. Every person who professes Christianity needs to be aware of the absence of the quality of unity.
Why Unity Matters in the Gospel
After the supper in the upper room, but before entering the Garden of Gethsemane, the Savior offered what we now call the Great Intercessory Prayer. It provides us a very personal, intimate window into the heart of Jesus as he pleads for His brethren, the Apostles, but also all those whom the Apostles would gather, and all who would follow throughout time. One of its most significant passages is short but powerful – “…that they may all be one” (John 17:21). However, in that short phrase, our Lord expresses His desire that we knit our hearts together in unity.
Let’s remember, also, that the City of Enoch that we read about in the book of Moses (Moses 7) was so righteous that the whole city was taken up to be with God. “They were of one heart and one mind…” (Moses 7:18). What might we be able to accomplish if our primary objective were that our actions would serve all?
President Nelson and other modern-day prophets have spoken numerous times on the need for unity in the Church and across the world. They’ve emphasized, as well, that unity is a prerequisite for receiving the Spirit and accomplishing God’s work. Feelings of rebellion and contention can prevent us from receiving much-needed revelation to carry out our purposes.
How Murmuring Destroys Unity
If you’re asking questions to sincerely find answers, you’re not murmuring. There’s a huge difference. Seeking answers can foster unity, clarity, and trust. Murmuring – rebellion and complaining – does the opposite. It brings division, confusion, and distrust. We see it in the contrast between Nephi and his brothers Laman and Lemuel, and we see it in the different ways that Moses dealt with the hardships in the wilderness, and that the children of Israel did so. Murmuring doesn’t always look like open rebellion, though. It can show up as passive-aggressive rebellion that undermines leadership and community.
Building Unity in a Murmuring World
Okay, things are going to happen, and some of those things aren’t going to be pleasant, and it’s going to make us want to complain. That’s part of living in a fallen world. But there comes a time when we need to take some personal responsibility and decide if we will be contributors to unity or to discontent.
When we raise our hands to the square in a sustaining action, we are making a covenant to support our leaders. That’s some serious stuff – making a covenant. We can disagree with something they say or do without withdrawing our sustaining support. How do we do that?
We start by practicing gratitude. We can feel grateful, even for the ability to disagree. But we have so much more for which to feel grateful.
We should seek to understand before we criticize. Nothing is ever completely as it seems, and we never know the whole of someone else’s suffering. As Dr. Steven R. Covey wrote, we should seek first to understand, and then to be understood. Very often, when we understand, we find that we are understood.
Essential to unity is speaking with faith and kindness. We need to practice these traits daily anyway, because they are identified with the Savior. When faith and kindness become an integral part of our character, we will become unity-builders.
Your Turn
Unity is not only a commandment. It is the character of Zion and the nature of Christ. What are some ideas you can share to help us become more unified – in our communities, in our churches, as citizens of the world? Share your wisdom below the Related Posts section.
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