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This is an image I captured in Aruba, while Tonia and I were eating breakfast one morning. Although there was more food on the ground, these iguanas positioned themselves against one another, fought over territory, head butted, and clawed one another over a piece of cantaloupe. The fight became so intense that they moved away from the food. The shocker? While they fought, another iguana came and stole and devoured the cantaloupe. It was funny and sad at the same time.

I wonder if this is what’s happening among Jesus followers. Although there are many people in our communities and cities who need Jesus, we position ourselves against one another, fight over territory, and head butt, claw and scratch one another to win the fight for their attendance and allegiance. While we fight and malign one another, the enemy comes and steals, kills, and devours the very people we say we’re attempting to reach.

How can we do a better job in practicing the transformational truth of John 13:34-35 and John 17, and demonstrate how different we are than the instinctive, “dog eat dog,” “every iguana for himself,” and “survival of the fittest,” animal kingdom?