I’m sad that believers emphasize differences and violate each other with them, and refuse to focus on what we all need in common, “Love God, love ourselves so we can love others”. Read JS Park with a loving, open mind: I’m starting to find that everyone’s Christian faith is utterly, uniquely different.Not so different on loving Jesus and loving people — but the way we wrestle through doctrine by strict academia or by poetic reflection, how we sing at the top of our lungs or in quiet osmosis, how some of us pray at sunrise in a pew or at three a.m. on a beach, how some of us are dying to journal or would rather die than journal, how our political tensions clash so broadly and brutally, how one forgives so quickly and the other is bitter indefinitely, how some of us are strong in faith or we’re faith-weaklings, how we each hold onto quirks like Bible translations and worship genres and preaching styles, how we like to gather in crowds of thousands or a group of a dozen.
There’s no need to fight over these things. No need to accuse another of being wrong, or to try to be better than the ‘other’ church, or to recast the same mold. We are so many shades of an endless jewel, a glorious community of unified diversity fueled by the endless imagination of God. I hope we don’t dash ourselves on our personalities. There is room for you and for me in this Body.
6 responses to “Endless Jewel Shared”
nopew
September 22nd, 2013 at 17:06
Yes, I just can’t help it!
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lessonsbyheart
September 22nd, 2013 at 15:41
Love your comebacks. They always make me giggle! 🙂
\o/
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nopew
September 22nd, 2013 at 13:19
Yes you were, but we ate at the same restaurant, the Wedding Banquet Hall 🙂 !
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lessonsbyheart
September 22nd, 2013 at 11:05
Yeah. I was happy to read your post. It let me know that I wasn’t out to lunch when I wrote mine. 😉
\o/
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nopew
September 22nd, 2013 at 02:13
Yes, JS did a good job of putting this into words.
Bigots hate differences. People of the Spirit rejoice in them! Jesus (the Way without additives) does not bring conformity, but loving acceptance of people and their eccentricities.
Yes, I remember your article and its celebration of all that makes up personality – and the problems with uniform testing and single standards of evaluation. It’s always nice to see we are not alone in our inspired insights – very affirming.
Peace
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lessonsbyheart
September 22nd, 2013 at 01:32
Reminds me of the post I wrote: Standardized Christianity. When we consider that no one has received identical input – the variations in culture, family, education, etc., there’s no way for everyone to be on the exact same page when it comes to Christianity. That helps me extend grace to those with whom I don’t see eye-to-eye.
However, I’ll still pound anyone into the ground who tries to tell me that salvation is Jesus PLUS…(fill in the blank)!
\o/
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