In her book The Key to a Loving Heart, Karen Mains tells a parable about the church titled ‘The Brawling Bride”. She tells about the most looked forward to part of a wedding ceremony. The families had been seated. The groom and his attendants were in their places. The minister was waiting, black book in hand. The bridesmaids had come down the aisle. The organ began the bridal march, and everyone rises and looks expectantly for the bride to enter. Then a gasp erupts from the crowd.

The bride is limping. Her gown is ripped and covered with mud. Bruises show on her arm. Her nose is bloody and one eye is purple and swollen. Her hair is a mess. In the parable the groom is Christ. “Doesn’t He deserve better than this?” the author asks. His bride, the church, has been fighting again.

Ridiculous? Not when we look around at actual churches where opposing groups sit on opposite sides of the church, or when one faction worships upstairs while the other faction worships downstairs in the same church. The Bible calls us to unity (1 Corinthians 3:1-9; Ephesians 4:3; Philippians 2:1-4; Colossians 2:2).

Let’s all help the bride get cleaned up. The groom is waiting.