Unity vs. Harmony

By Amy Hitt:

The product of harmony is…peace.

I have pretty much always felt like my purpose was to be a peacemaker.  The problem with peacemakers is that often times they are simply pacifists…peacekeepers instead.  Keeping the peace is completely different than making peace that lasts.  Peace that lasts usually comes through conflict of some sort.  Because there are always issues that need to be worked out to have peace, it is impossible to avoid conflict when attempting to make peace.  A peacemaker has to be able to hear both sides of a story and come to some sort of balance and compromise.

I think why peace is so difficult to obtain is because people make the mistake of demanding “unity” instead of “harmony.”  Unity is when everyone is on the same page…singing the same note…one note.  Singing in unison is pure and possible for people who ARE on the same page, but not ALL people can be on the very same page at the same time…that is where harmony comes in.  Harmony is when people sing different notes that all harmonize together…creating beautiful chords…like different instruments in a symphony.  They are playing different notes…but it’s the same song.

Personality types are like the different instruments and notes.  Each personality has its place and purpose.  Each can create harmony or cause dissonance by being on the note or sharp or flat.

Copyright 2010 Amy L Hitt