Think about it. When it comes to faith what do you believe?
Now think if someone doesn’t believe what you do, do you think they are wrong? Why? What makes your faith right or more real than theirs?
It doesn’t.
As one of the only still Catholics on my trip of Christians, I find myself feeling separated from people. I am trying to figure out where I belong and how I fit in. But then I realized why? Why do I feel the need to fit into the box of Christian here? Why do I feel the need to fit into the box of Catholic at home? Why is there a box in the first place?
There shouldn’t be.
As Christians, it is fairly understood that God want’s a relationship with us. Yes that is true, but who dictates what that looks like?
My relationship with God is my own. It is not going to look like how you think it will, or how you want it to, and I shouldn’t have to explain my way to you. Similarly your relationship with God is yours. Maybe your relationship looks like you worshiping to Him with music, maybe it looks like getting a message out of scripture, maybe your relationship looks like you praying to him in your house, maybe you see His beauty in the nature around you, maybe it’s something totally different. I think that’s all great! You talk to God the way you want and I will talk to Him the way I want.
Now think of that person with slightly different views, or in a different denomination. Is your thought to say “us” or “them”? Why can’t it be “WE”. We all are a people who love Jesus, love God. Why are we separated?
Are you Catholic? Are you Lutheran? Are you Christian? Are you Baptist? Who are you? Are these the questions we should be asking?
Maybe we should be asking: Do you love and follow God? Do you believe Jesus came down to wipe away all of our sins? Are you trying to live a life free of sin?
Are you loving EVERYONE the way Jesus loved?
That might be a good place to start. Instead of pointing out the differences why don’t we start loving the differences. These differences can help us grow. We can learn so much from those whose beliefs and ways of life are different from our own.
Do you have to believe and understand everything they say? No, but they have that right to their belief, just as you do. Let us become a people who accept that we are all different. We all love and communicate to OUR God in different ways.
As it was said to me, we are all apart of a family. My relationship with my parents is different than my sister’s relationship with them. Although they look so different, they are so similar in so many ways, with the basis of it being WE BOTH LOVE our mother and father.
I am no longer going to compare my relationship to yours. Nor am I going to let any box I see form me into something other than myself. I am free to believe and love God in the way I want, and I am allowing you to do the same. Or in words often spoken here on the field.
I will do me. You do you.
