There is power in unity

Erick Kalenga
Published: May 31, 2008

There is power in unity. Almost 10 year ago I was working as operation manager at a security company in Cape Town, South Africa. I was in charge of a number of contracts.

We offered a variety of services: from hotel security, bodyguarding and event security to church security. Yes, the church was considered a soft target.

One day, I was doing my normal routine and I received a call from my boss. He told me that we were asked to provide services for a concert event.

I was very excited to do security at the concert. I put a team of people together to work at the event and told them that I would be rotating all of them so that they would be able to enjoy the music inside the building.

As we were making the final arrangements, I found out that a symphony orchestra would be performing.

I will be very honest, I was very disappointed. I was looking forward to great music, not boring music. I said to myself that I have never gone to a symphony concert before and from what I have seen on the television set, it’s for older people. I was comforted, however, by saying that “it was just a job.”

On the day of the event we arrived two hours early to set the team in place and I walked into the building to look for the event coordinator. I had been driving past this building for years but had never set my foot in it. I was amazed by the size and the elegance.

While I was scouting the building, I saw the band members dressed in “normal clothes.” They were all playing their own thing.

I asked the event coordinator what they were doing. The gentleman said that the band was busy warming up; at this time, said the coordinator, everyone plays on their own without considering others. It was horrible; the noise was atrocious. I could not wait to go outside. Almost an hour later, I heard a noise coming through the door. It was soft, calm and gentle.

I followed the sound inside the building. The band looked elegant paying attention to the conductor, who appeared to be confident and graceful. I was blown away by the performance. The harmony was so incredible. The orchestra played such heavenly music

The difference was that the orchestra was now in one accord. No one was on their own anymore. They played together and the sound was just breathtaking.

Just imagine if we, as Christians, harmonize together. We will make a difference in so many lives. Those musicians, individually, are talented, but when playing on their own it’s total chaos. When they chose to play in sync it was amazing.
In John 17:21, Jesus prayed “that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”

We will be more effective if we work together. There is a law called “synergy.” This law states that when the joint actions of agents are brought together, they increase each other’s effectiveness.

It is very sad to see that the world uses the law of unity far more than we Christians. If you read the Bible, I hope you have read the story of Nehemiah or the story of the people in Babylonia (the building of the tower of Babel).

Jesus understands the power of unity. Unity will work for non-believers like it will work for believers. This is exactly why the sinners have made such advances, while the church is trying to keep up.

For the sake of our children, it is time to put an end to the division and to strive for unity in the body of Christ.

Remember, you have nothing to lose but everything to gain. If we work together, this community will be ignited by God.

Erick Kalenga is an independent columnist who appears Sundays in the Star-Exponent. He lives in Madison County. E-mail