Messiness in Differences ~ Chris Keim

Staff, March 30, 2021

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”  ~Galatians  3:28

There is a saying in 12 step recovery programs that is suggested to newcomers at meetings; look for the similarities not the differences. Doing this is supposed to help the newcomer to relate better to others in the program and see themselves in others' stories. If you talk to people who have found success in 12 step programs, you will hear that looking for the similarities really helped them in early sobriety. 
It seems like this is good advice in everyday life too. It would be helpful if we looked for similarities, especially when we run into people, who look, think or act differently than we do. When we look at the differences, it polarizes us. Once polarized, the fingers start pointing and the minds start closing to the other’s point of view.  When we look for similarities, it helps us to see that we may have common ground. Common ground can then be used as the foundation for the relationship. Common ground has a balancing quality to it. 
For Christians, looking for similarities goes right along with the idea that we are the body of Christ. The human body is made up of hands, feet, eyes, fingers and so much more. These parts are all very different. They look different, they do different things and yet, they all make the body work better and more efficiently. Just like every part of the human body is important to the whole, every part of the body of Christ is important to the whole. Paul teaches us that everyone makes up the body of Christ; EVERYONE. Our differences are actually what make us important to the whole. Jesus’ love, God’s love for all of us, is the common ground for the body of Christ. When this love is the foundation, motivation and focus of our thoughts, words and actions, the differences in the world take on a beauty and a relevance that cannot be found in a polarized world.

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for your love for us. Thank you for your grace and mercy.  Help us to look for the similarities as we walk through this world. Help us to use the love that you give freely to us to be the common ground on which we relate to others. Help us to transform the fear and hatred found in our perceptions of this polarized world into beauty and relevance. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.