Ooof.. diversity?? That can be a bit of a touchy subject if you’re not careful. There’s 7 billion people in this world, so theoretically speaking, there’s about 70 billion toes to step on (give or take a few). But I just feel the Lord calling me to share on what He has been speaking to me recently.
This past Sunday, during service, our worship leaders switched from English to Spanish in the second verse of a song. Initially, I thought I was just THAT tired, you know, that level of exhaustion where you don’t even think in your own language anymore. But I was surprised and it took me so off guard that I just had to stop and listen. Standing there, I felt about a thousand different emotions washing over me. I was overwhelmed with thoughts about my time on the Race, I heard God gently reminding me of the reality that He is not confined to one language or one group or one type of believer. Here I am, classic sheltered American, having to be reminded that God isn’t just the God of me and those similar to me, He’s the God of Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor, slaves and free. God’s voice speaks every language, and His truth never gets lost in translation. I was in awe and humbled by this truth and I began to think about how I will experience this firsthand. I will be delivering the Good News in languages that are unfamiliar to me, in cultures that are not my own, to people with which I have nothing in common.
In 1 Corinthians 12, we are encouraged to celebrate our differences. We are reminded that the body of Christ NEEDS diversity. We are reminded that we are many different parts to ONE body, united in Christ. No part is lesser than the other. The foot still belongs to the body even though it cannot see like the eye sees. The ears still belong even though it cannot sing like the mouth sings. One body cannot be made up of simply left hands. The body needs HUNDREDS of different parts to do their job so it can function properly. God has given gifts to each person in the body of Christ to use to further His Kingdom, whether it’s through evangelism, speaking in tongues, service, teaching, singing, exhortation, etc. Some have been given many gifts and some might just have one or two, but these are gifts that He has entrusted us with so we must BE CONFIDENT in them and know that God created us and wired us in a way that is no accident. He made us ON purpose, FOR a purpose.
I know for a fact that I am not the only person who struggles with their value and wrestles with comparison. There are things and gifts that I am confident in, and there are gifts that others have been blessed with that I wish I also had. I get so fixated on what I lack that I forget to use and take care of what has been given to me. I think of it this way, God invites me to a dinner party and He asks me to bring napkins. The whole time leading up to that dinner party, I am running around the grocery store wasting time, energy, and money trying to gather more things to bring to the table, and in that chaos, I forget the one thing that I was in charge of, napkins. I arrive to the Lord’s table and see that everything else has been provided, He appointed other guests to bring silverware, drinks and food so the dinner party would go smoothly. I got so caught up in what I wasn’t bringing to the table, when all I had to do was bring napkins. Woah. If God gives me the gift of worship, but not teaching or service etc, then I’ll trust that God gave me worship on purpose and I will do everything in my power to serve Him through that. I know it’s easier said than done, but as a Church, we don’t have any time to waste by focusing on what we lack. People need Jesus, now.
So, my prayer is that as you find yourself in the midst of doubt, you are reminded that our Father made you on purpose. Despite ALL the things that make you different, the things that make US different. Despite our language barriers, cultural differences, strengths, weaknesses, experiences, hardships, whatever it may be, we ALL have a few things in common and that is certain. We ALL have a hope and a future. We ALL have a good, good Father. And we ALL have a mission to go and share the Good News.
I am different, yet I belong. You are different, and you certainly belong to this body.
