If there are heavenly mansions (in the way we think of mansions); I hope Christians who can’t get along with other Christians here on earth are next door neighbors in Glory. A fundamentalist-leaning who loves Jesus living beside a progressive-leaning Christian who also loves Jesus— having to borrow cups of sugar when baking a dish-to-pass for the heavenly pot-luck banquet. Wouldn’t that be the shocking irony of heaven? FYI… words of wisdom from an antacid-popping-pot-luck survivor: if there are pot-lucks in eternity, it won’t be in heaven. But, presumably, there will be people who disagree on some pretty weighty issues here on earth residing in Beulah Land. 

If we are going to spend eternity together, it makes sense that we start the get-along process here on earth. According to Paul, since believers have been made new in Christ, they have a new ministry. Paul calls it “the ministry of reconciliation.” 

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:17-18. 

In other words, Christians “ghosting” other Christians or bashing fellow believers on social media does not compute in “the ministry of reconciliation.” Any misunderstandings, grievances and differences within the family of God should be a point of deep consternation for any true follower. 

The ministry of reconciliation is active. It doesn’t happen without effort. Those made new in Christ can’t assume the other won’t receive the reconciliation advances or worry that their attempts at reconciliation might be weaponized against them. A new creature reconciled in Christ becomes a reconciler. That means bridging the gaps, tearing down the walls, sending the extra texts, leaving the extra voicemails, going the extra mile and extending the arms of friendship. It’s taking a “whatever-it-takes” mentality into this “ministry of reconciliation.”

Eugene Peterson’s version puts it this way: We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. (2 Corinthians 5:19. MSG). Can’t we drop our differences? Can’t we make things right? We better try. If the heavenly housing supervisor has a sense of humor, we might be neighbors on Golden Avenue.