Scripture reading this AM was 1 Cor 12. I love the juxtaposition of “same” & “variety.” Same Spirit, variety of gifts. What irony that elements meant to make us function as a body are used to keep it disjointed. “You’re different than me so you do not have the same Spirit as me.”
We’ve even developed sufficient hubris to survey that very list of gifts in 1 Cor 12 & say “If you claim to have any in this category, you may have a demonic spirit but you certainly don’t have the Holy Spirit.” I don’t have the least notion this post will change a single mind->
We’ll still do what we’ve been doing: just defending our position/sticking with our team. But it’s wrong. Variety’s a gift meant to be treasured. Appreciated. We get to be very different, bring very different elements to the Body & still be in the same Name & of the same Spirit.
What would change everything is a true work of the Holy Spirit in building real, live relationships between people who are very different. But we’d have to take 3 enormous risks:
1. We might like them.
2. We might glimpse Christ in them.
3. We might have to face we were wrong.
1. We might like them.
2. We might glimpse Christ in them.
3. We might have to face we were wrong.
I think 1 of the most powerful evidences of Christ on social media these days is the simple admission of having been wrong. I always do a double take. It always carries weight with me. I was wrong about so many people. “I don’t like you if you’re unlike me.” Ain’t no way to live.
What we’re saying is, “I don’t like Christ’s methods. He was wrong about this.” We are His Body. He, our Head. He can do what the heck He wants with His own Body. And what He wants is a glorious, gorgeous, divine blend of variety & sameness. When we’re Jesus we can do it our way.
Dang. The tone of that thread was negative. Who needs that on a Monday morning?? Sorry, y’all! Here is what I really want to say: I’m ecstatic that we who make up the Body of Christ may not be the same kind of different as one another but we a different kind of the same.
