在1967年1月，威斯康辛州的小鎮溫納康尼（Winneconne）被該州的官方公路地圖錯誤刪除了，導致該鎮損失重要的觀光收入。因此該鎮決定脫離威斯康辛州，並宣布將在同年7月21日獨立成為一州。有人說，這場分裂行動是要讓州政府難堪，但也有人認為，這只是個幽默搞笑的抗議。無論如何，協商了幾個月後，州政府和小鎮達成和解。溫納康尼鎮於1967年7月22日凌晨12點01分，重新加入威斯康辛州。

大多數的分裂或分歧都不會那麼溫和，且不易解決。分裂是嚴重的危害，以致箴言將「弟兄中布散紛爭的人」（6章19節），列入上帝的心所憎惡的七樣事情之一（16節）。

分歧不但會帶來破壞，還會使人對耶穌與天父有錯誤的認識。耶穌在被釘十架前一晚，向天父祈求，門徒能在祂裡面合一，好「叫世人可以信祢差了我來」（約翰福音17章21節）。

耶穌清楚表明，我們在基督裡作為弟兄姐妹的合一（或不合一），會影響世人對祂的信靠！或許正因如此，保羅勸勉以弗所信徒要「以和睦聯繫，竭力持守聖靈所賜的合一」（以弗所書4章3節，新譯本）。祈盼你我能讓基督的靈使我們合而為一，吸引世人來親近祂。

In January 1967, the town of Winneconne discovered it had been mistakenly omitted from the official Wisconsin state road map, costing the town vital tourist revenue. So the town decided to secede from Wisconsin and become its own sovereign state on July 21 of that year. Some say the secession was a move to embarrass the state government, while others claim it was a tongue-in-cheek act of humor. In any case, months of negotiations resulted in state and town coming together again on July 22, 1967.

Most division isn’t as good-natured or as easily resolved. Division is such a threat that the book of Proverbs lists “the person who stirs up conflict” (6:19) as one of seven things “that are detestable to [God]” (v. 16). 

Division may not only cause problems but misrepresents Jesus and His Father. The night before the cross, Christ prayed that His followers would be one in Him, “that the world may believe that you have sent me” (John 17:21).

Jesus made it clear that our unity as brothers and sisters in Christ (or lack of it) impacts the world’s belief in Him! Perhaps that’s why Paul told the Ephesians, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). May we allow the Spirit of Christ to make us one—that the world may be drawn to Him.