On the piano, I can press a key and it is automatically in tune (assuming the tuner did a good job). And once I’ve played it, there’s not much more I can do about it. On the cello, I have to pay attention to the tuning every single time I play a note, and keep paying attention for the entire duration of the note. It is not automatic. Yes, I can only play one (sometimes two) notes at a time, but each note is a world in itself. Each individual note is like a whole lifetime: every detail matters, just like every word and thought. Learning cello has given me a new appreciation for each individual note. When done right, a single note can be so beautiful!
If only we had such an appreciation for each individual member of our church, and for each individual person we meet in the world. We need to take a step back from the “church as a whole” sometimes, and focus on the beauty, and the needs, of each and every individual.
We also need to realize that there are ‘disputable matters’ among Christians. There are some issues that were debated among early Christians, and today, we Christians have even more issues that we disagree about. Why else are there so many different denominations? The crucial points are to acknowledge that we don’t know the entire mind of God, we are not always right, and some things just don’t really matter. Even if they matter to us, they may not make a big difference in the end. As Paul explains in Romans 14 (you should read the whole chapter!), consider first whether your actions or words might keep people away from God, and if so, reconsider.
Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters.
Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.
So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God.
Romans 14:1, 13, 22a