The other day a friend of mine sent me an amazing quote that a friend of hers had shared to her Facebook feed. Sorry I can’t quote the original source, but I still wanted to share it because I can’t stop thinking about it.
It challenged me deeply and will continue to do so for many years to come.
Here’s why…
Sometimes I think we Christians forget we serve a big God. We take it upon ourselves to judge and “enlighten” others, all the while forgetting that we were never created to stand in proxy for the Holy Spirit. God alone knows how best to reach people and all He asks of us is to love, to embrace, and to walk alongside – not in front of.
He uses our support to help people journey towards Him, but He doesn’t ask us to be Him. There’s a difference.
Therefore, we can be contradictions – to be different than people, but also the same as them.
Our lives are not simple and uncomplicated.
Faith is not black and white.
Love is never as easy to live, as it is to say.
And relationships are more about blurred lines than clear divides.
Thus…
It IS possible to believe in God and science.
It IS possible to be pro-choice and anti-abortion.
It IS possible to be a feminist and love and respect men.
It’s possible to have privilege and be discriminated against, to be poor and have a rich life, to not have a job and still have money.
It’s possible to be anti guns and still believe in one’s right to defend one’s self, family, and property.
It’s possible to be anti-war and pro-military…
… to love they neighbor and despise his actions…
… to advocate Black Lives Matter and still be pro-police…
… to not have an education and be brilliant…
… to be Muslim and also suffer at the hands of terrorists…
… to be a non-American fighting for the American dream.
Basically, there is no them, there is only us. And living as a Christian on this earth is about turning ME into WE.
“It is possible to be different and the same. We are all walking contradictions of what “normal” looks like.” –Unknown
So perhaps in building the kind of community we were created to be, we should focus on our sameness rather than our differences.
“Words like Jewish and non-Jewish, religious and irreligious, insider and outsider, uncivilized and uncouth, slave and free, mean nothing. From now on everyone is defined by Christ, everyone is included in Christ.” Colossians 3:11 (MSG)
