Porcupines and Prickliness in the Anglican Communion

This sweet tale was sent to me over the weekend. It is called The Fable of the Porcupine:

It was the coldest winter ever... many animals died because of the cold. The porcupines, realizing the situation, decided to group together. This way they covered and protected themselves; but the quills of each one wounded their closest companions even though they gave off heat to each other. After awhile they decided to distance themselves one from the other and they began to die, alone and frozen. So they had to make a choice: either accept the quills of their companions or disappear from the Earth. Wisely, they decided to go back to being together. This way they learned to live with the little wounds that were caused by the close relationship with their companion, but the most important part of it, was the heat that came from the others. This way they were able to survive.

Moral of the story...
The best relationship is not the one that brings together perfect people, but the best is when each individual learns to live with the imperfections of others and can admire the other person's good qualities.

This same moral could apply to our relations among those still willing to entertain a discussion within the Anglican Communion. I'm talking about the non-GAFCON churches, specifically an appeal to our brothers and sisters in Christ in England and elsewhere who complain about the quills of our Episcopalian porcupines. No doubt, each member of the Communion has wounded some other in some way at some time. But none of those needle sticks have been, or should be seen, as so fatal that we can't recognize the Christ in one another. And given the greater needs in a world where people are starving and suffering from man-made and natural disasters, it would serve us well to stop focusing so much on the uncomfortableness of our relationships to see the common purpose and calling that we share.
Really! The world is waiting for Christians to live up to their hype about the good news, and deliver on that message. The world already knows how cold it is outside. Can't we get it together to provide some warmth?

H/T to Diana for the fable and the picture.