美國舞者莉蓮．柯隆（Lillian Colón）自幼在孤兒院長大，她從400位舞者中脫穎而出，獲得一個世界知名舞蹈團的寶貴名額。她在舞蹈團中與團員們一起表演，一直到四十多歲。大家總是步伐一致、默契十足。如今七十歲的她仍在教授舞蹈，傳授精湛的藝術表演，以及她從藝術生涯中學到最寶貴的一課：同心協力。她說：「無論是在台上或台下，我們的生活緊密相連。當我們互相扶持與關懷，大家都會過得更好。」

使徒保羅深知同心協力的重要性。在基督裡同心協力，和睦共處，是讚美尊榮上帝，能將榮耀歸給祂。保羅也如此教導羅馬的信徒，包括猶太人和外邦人，勸勉他們要同心合一。保羅寫道：「但願賜忍耐和安慰的上帝使你們彼此同心，效法基督耶穌。」其目的是要讓眾人「同心同聲榮耀我們主耶穌基督的父上帝」（羅馬書15章5-6節，和合本修訂版）。

互相對立的聲音，絕不會使上帝得榮耀。當我們一同讚美上帝，沒有任何人或任何群體互相排斥，才能顯明在基督裡合一的真正意義。保羅說：「你們要彼此接納，如同基督接納你們一樣，使榮耀歸與上帝」（7節）。當我們尋求上帝的幫助在生活中如此行，祂會激勵我們異口同聲，步伐一致，將榮耀歸給祂。

Lillian Colón, who grew up in an orphanage, beat out four hundred dancers to win a coveted spot on a world-renowned dance team. She performed with that group, with its tightly ordered synchronized choreography, until her mid-forties. Now teaching dance at age seventy, she imparts to students her greatest lesson from precision artistry: Work together. “On and off the stage, our lives are deeply intertwined,” she said, “and we all fare better when we support and care for one another.”

The apostle Paul knew the importance of this principle. Harmony in Christ points praise to its true purpose—glorifying God. Paul taught this lesson to believers in Rome, both Jewish and gentile, to encourage their unity. “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had,” he wrote (Romans 15:5). This was “so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 6).

Competing voices won’t produce this result. Joining together to praise God, with no one person or group discounting another, gives unity in Christ its true purpose. “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you,” wrote Paul, “in order to bring praise to God” (v. 7). When we seek God’s help to do this, He inspires our common voice as we step together and give Him glory.