We Are All One (4)

We're All Different. So What?

In England, many years ago, everyone lived and died within five miles or so of their birthplace, separated by hills and rivers that, for most, were too much trouble to cross. That separation produced unique dialects (dozens still exist) and separate ways of thinking and doing. In a way, that's a microcosm of the whole world: there are many different kinds of us humans, in an array of colors and shapes and sounds, dressing in different ways and living our lives in different manners.

God loves variety, I'm convinced of that. He made us humans and told us to go out and fill up the earth, and we sure did. Now we come in so many varieties it's hard to list them all. But, too bad for us, 'apart' is what we are, so often. We separate from one another over shape of nose, shade of skin, nuance of speech, and belief. We think we don't have much in common because of our differences. And when we draw away from one another, we allow suspicion and fear to come in between, and that pretty much ruins everything.

We all have our reasons, of course: those guys look like they're gang members, I don't like that music, why can't they dress better, I don't understand their slang, and so on. So we stick with those we understand and agree with, to be comfortable and safe.

In the end, though, none of those differences are going to matter. Here's what the Bible says is the ultimate reality -- speaking of the holy city that comes to us from heaven, John writes in Revelation 21 verses 24 and 26: "The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the world will enter the city in all their glory...And all the nations will bring their glory and honor into the city." This doesn't speak of homogenization of the human race, but of the vast variety of all people, reunited in worshipping God.

And in truth, that's already the case. You'll find followers of Jesus Christ all over the world, worshipping him in just about every language and dialect and 'in spirit and in truth,' not in any one temple or mountain, as Jesus said in John 4:21, 23: "Jesus replied, 'Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem... But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth.' "

You can see that happening in a lot of places already, as worshippers of Jesus bypass their differences and rejoice in their unity in Christ. I pray that the number of places, and the number of people, will increase. Will you join me?