Principles – «Unity or Division?!» – 27/8/2016

   I talked in a former article about definitions of “Unity”: one of the most important principles in life. I discussed the importance of collaboration to achieve a great goal and as a result defeat hardships and difficulties with power and strength; this is how we achieve success.

   However we must keep in mind that unity and collaboration can’t be achieved by chance or in a blink of an eye, but through a strong faith in their importance in order to ignite inner insistence and determination to achieve high aspirations. It also needs training, we will definitely meet a lot of obstacles, but patience and insistence will be our road to unity and integration. Let me remind you of the photo we talked about last time in which we find the two men, who were driving the bicycle together, someone using his hand and the other using his leg. They must have worked a lot to learn how to maintain their balance. They also must have fallen many times before, but they rose again and started over till each one of them became capable of challenging his disability with his friend’s help. We can mesmerize the whole world, if we are united and on one accord.

   On the contrary, “division” is a danger that threatens man’s life, families’ endurance and societies’ stability. A quick glance at life makes me wonder how far a family can stay connected, if each member takes a different direction or ruins what another member built?! Have we seen at any age or phase of history a strong society of divided people?! .Division is the most dangerous weakness people may have because any weakness can be defeated if people unite to defeat and overcome it, on the other hand,

   Division weakens: When a man is divided against himself, his steps toward his goal become weaker and shorter; he turns into an indolent person who can’t decide what he wants or which road he should choose. Division turns strength into weakness, thus man won’t be able to stand firm against the difficulties he meets. Division also uncovers weaknesses of families or societies if its members don’t support each other, thus they unleash their hidden weaknesses.

   Division ruins:  Fragility of man makes him fainthearted. Families and societies maybe ruined by division as it will prevent them from being united or able to manage their crisis. If people don’t seek to solve their problems, their society will grow weaker and fade away. This is the real danger that they my face.

Anba Ermiah
General Bishop- General Bishop & President of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center