You are, no doubt, familiar with the saying “opposites attract.”  Have you noticed that right there in the center of the meaning of that word "opposites" is the word “oppose”?  When we regard that word in relationship to marriage, somebody has to be alarmed, don’t they?  Somebody needs to ask the question, “How in the world could it be possible that it would be helpful to bring two people together in a long-term relationship who are known to be opposites, opposers?” 

My wife and I are classic examples of this principle.  Over the years I have learned a great deal about Colleen by getting to know myself!  I have actually gotten quite comfortable with knowing that my initial inclination about just about anything will be opposite of hers.  Attitudinally, I am an optimist.  She is what she calls a…realist.  She likes her chicken well done and it’s not well done unless it is tough and dry.  I like mine moist.  She likes store bought ice cream.  I like home made.  Colleen is a horse person.  I’m more of a tractor person.  Are you getting the picture?  Well, the good news is that this principle has become quite an asset.  Colleen’s polar opposite reaction (to mine) to situations gives me the advantage of, often, nearly three hundred and sixty degrees of perspective.  What a valuable gift!

If this was a book instead of an “editorial,” I could take several pages to work up to the crux of my thought today.  Since that isn’t possible (Lyle would have to send this out in a large manila envelope!), let me just say that very few organizations and relationships do not benefit from the viewpoints of this principle…opposites attract.  In the days of the settling of our great land, there were explorers and trackers.  Explorers scanned the horizon.  Trackers studied the ground in front of their faces.  John Maxwell is famous for saying lots of things, but well remembered by all who have benefitted from his teaching that we should…staff to our weaknesses.  That is we should surround ourselves with people who have different skill sets and different approaches to life situations.   A brief rundown of the men Jesus chose to be his original disciples points to the fact that he knew the Church would be a better place if people from all perspectives pulled their chairs up to the table.

Just saying that the makeup of about every church includes a mix, a blend, that could make a serious dent in the non-believing community surrounding the church.  The church is made up of, in most cases, people who can relate to nearly all the different personality types that exist in the area.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could apply the truth, the beauty, of “opposites attract” to our efforts to win lost people to Jesus!  We have the sublime  potential in the church to put our differing views and personalities together and, with the help of Almighty God, to create an atmosphere and ambiance where people love each other in spite of their differences and where lots of other people come to know Jesus because we agree to make top priority to share him with each other and with our unsaved friends and neighbors in spite of the fact we are opposites!