Closer to Jesus = closer to each other
Here's a simple illustration of how we can experience more unity in the body of Christ. As you get closer to the living Jesus and I get closer to Him, we automatically get closer to each other.
Jesus put it this way: ""Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28) The Greek word translated as "I will give you rest" is the verb "anapauó". It also means: "I will refresh you," or "I will give you restoration," or "I will give you tranquility."
As we get closer and closer to the risen Jesus, we are more and more refreshed, restored, and given tranquility. Thus, as we become closer and more surrendered to Jesus the friction between us, fades away. In a world of divisiveness, closeness to the living Jesus unites!
This chart illustrates how that works:
