the basic message #E1
1 Corinthians 15:41
The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.
In the process of increasing the network of people receiving this devotional, I read many AOL user profiles. One thing that strikes me most is the diversity among people online. I am surprised at the number of young people emailing me a confirmation note. I began to think that I should write a special devotional for the young people, but my daughter (17) said, “Dad, they’re not babies- they can understand”. Well said. It’s easy sometimes to talk-down to our young people, and this creates barriers we don’t need. Another blessing of the diversity of the Internet is the anonymity of people online. I might be white, but I could be black, but can you say for sure I’m not Asian? Does it matter?
1 Corinthians 4:7
For what makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
When God looks down upon us, what does he see? Does he say, “There’s a black kid, there’s an old Mexican lady, there’s a handicapped black guy”? I think God might say, “There’s a bunch of miserable sinners, but I love them anyway. I wonder why some of them don’t love me?” It saddens me how many of our churches are so afraid of diversity in membership. My church is all white. I guess you now know I’m a white guy. I learned about a black church near my job that has a noon service on a weekday. I visited the church, and guess what? I was the only white person there. Did I get mean looks? No. Did someone say, “Are you lost, white boy?” No. What I did get was the blessing of participating in a great service. I’ve been back a number of times, and I really enjoy it. One thing makes me sad, though. I wonder if my church would be that nice to a visitor that looks different than us. Some people seem to think that God intends for us to live separately. Let’s see:
Acts 10:34-35
Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.
I think if God doesn’t show favoritism, then I certainly don’t have the right. If you don’t believe Peter, how about Paul?
Galatians 3:26-28
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Seems pretty plain to me, how about you? I know people who profess Christianity that wouldn’t sit next to someone different than themselves. I wonder what they think Heaven will be like? I don’t think there’s a set of railroad tracks separating one group from another. And so, my friends, let’s put our Christian love to the real test and fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ whether they’re young people with earrings and purple hair, retired people who fear young people with purple hair, or people that are just different. Who did Jesus Christ avoid? The hypocrites. I don’t want Jesus avoiding me- do you?