Some years ago Johnny Cash...
Illustration
Some years ago Johnny Cash had a hit record about a musical group of four who sang "the mountain ballads and the folk songs of our land," but beneath their external unanimity they had strong and radically different political convictions. "The one on the right was on the left; the one in the middle was on the right; the one on the left was in the middle and the one in the rear burned his driver's license."
One night, in front of a packed concert hall, as the delirious crowd watched, they had a free-for-all. The one on the right was on the bottom, the one in the middle was on the top, the one on the left got a broken arm and the one in the rear just shook his head saying "Oh dear!"
How often do we as members of a church, a social group, or even a family, appear to have external unity, but within are radically divided and, if pushed to the extreme, we, like the folk group, might explode in a violent reaction?
Even though our convictions may lead us into disputes and fights, it still is better to have solid convictions and stay with them, rather than vacillating and changing our positions according to the group we happen to be associating with at the time.
Paul was consistent and blunt and, on this occasion, accused Peter of cowardly weakness. He, therefore, withstood him publicly and exposed his inconsistency.
One night, in front of a packed concert hall, as the delirious crowd watched, they had a free-for-all. The one on the right was on the bottom, the one in the middle was on the top, the one on the left got a broken arm and the one in the rear just shook his head saying "Oh dear!"
How often do we as members of a church, a social group, or even a family, appear to have external unity, but within are radically divided and, if pushed to the extreme, we, like the folk group, might explode in a violent reaction?
Even though our convictions may lead us into disputes and fights, it still is better to have solid convictions and stay with them, rather than vacillating and changing our positions according to the group we happen to be associating with at the time.
Paul was consistent and blunt and, on this occasion, accused Peter of cowardly weakness. He, therefore, withstood him publicly and exposed his inconsistency.
