Diversity

Diversity

[Jesus said,] “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

ONE MORNING as we had family devotions with our kids, we talked about the Day of Pentecost and how when the Holy Spirit came, the believers who were there began to speak in all the different languages of people that could be found throughout the city.

“How amazed the people were to hear about the hope of Christ in their native language,” I said. “It showed God’s design that all men, of every background, would be drawn to him.”

We then discussed our recent move to our new neighborhood, in the heart of our city, and how we felt God was asking us to go to a place where diversity among the people living there was paramount.

My husband explained, “As believers in Jesus we are unified in our faith, but we are not uniform. God is calling all people to himself regardless of age, race, social class, or language.”

And I’ve realized over time that this moving to a new space has been nothing less than a blessing. Many of our new neighbors are different from us in many ways, but they are also kind and interesting, engaging and unique. Living here and getting to interact with the diverse people around us has given us nothing short of joy.

There are times being a Christian is seen as a downfall, a negative—sometimes justifiably, but we’ve decided we’d rather be a family that is known more for what we are for than what we are against. We believe, without question, that God is for every person—no matter who they are or where they are from.

The body of Christ, the church, is much more diverse than people who look like, act like, or even think just like me. And because this is true, we get to be a people who celebrate our diversity, rather than being afraid or opposed to it. Let’s be individuals who exemplify God’s love extravagantly, to all people. We are called to be unified in our love of Christ, but not uniform.

Lord, may we each grasp a vision of your Kingdom that includes people from every nation and tongue. May we celebrate our diversity while being unified in our love of Jesus. Amen.

-Kendra

One Good Step: Spend time getting to know someone who, on the surface, appears different from yourself.