Different is… … …. just different
Isa 66:18 NKJV - "For I [know] their works and
their thoughts. It shall be that I will gather all nations and tongues; and
they shall come and see My glory.”
Rev 7:9 NKJV –“ After these things I looked, and
behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes,
peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed
with white robes, with palm branches in their hands.”
There is an elephant in the
room in many congregations today. Sometimes differences in worship styles,
Bible translation, and so many other small things will cause major divisions
among people in the same congregation and sister churches. God is certainly not
a God of division, but of unity in Christ Jesus.
Isn’t it funny that we have friends who have different
passions but we don’t disengage from them because we have other interests in common?
Such as our racing buddy that loves to
cook and we can’t boil water. Why is it
different that we both love Jesus, but I like contemporary music, and you like
traditional? God made people with different passions, abilities, spiritual
gifts, and tendencies so that all the world could be reached. A great preacher, Bro Lonnie Sheets once
passed some great wisdom to me and the congregation at Leitchfield Crossing. “Different
is. . . .just different.”
Sometimes the new ideas come into our lives in
order to introduce us to good opportunities. When was the last time you tried a
new activity or restaurant and then it became your favorite thing to talk
about? Even if a new activity is not
our cup of tea, if we’re doing it with our friend it shows that we care about
them.
Finally Jesus was no
stranger to differences. He had
fisherman, a couple tax collectors, a zealot, among others in his entourage yet
his team changed the world with his mission.
He engaged with sinners, Pharisees, Jews, Gentiles and rulers with his
teachings because He wanted to see them reconciled to His Loving Father. Jesus didn’t withdraw from differences but
embraced them because they were key to accomplishing His Mission. Let us embrace ours also. 8/4/19
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