"this is my Father's world

... Why should my heart be sad?"

The voice of my colleague, brother, neighbor, singing next to me.
His deep, seasoned life supporting every syllable sent me home with these thoughts.

From a week about inclusion in our movement.

For me, it boils down to this: We need each other.
People of the world, from different backgrounds and life stories need each other. It sanctifies us to be close with people who are different than us. And beyond the conflicts of difference (or sometimes interspersed with them) there is rejoicing and completion. Why? Because it reminds us of home ... heaven. The book of Revelation tells us that heaven will be full of rejoicing, not monocultural rejoicing, but a party that represents every corner of the world.

But yes, there are conflicts. Obstacles sometimes. Propellers at others. But especially in my background (white suburbia) conflicts are obstacles. In my background, difference is troublesome, that's what we learned in the 50s and 60s. So we don't talk about difference, we talk about how we're all basically the same. A half-truth in my opinion.

So ... what if conflict never had a negative connotation?
Can you imagine?
What if we rejoiced in conflict because it enlightened us and it unearthed the truth?

I learned this wonderful analogy of driving. In the west, we drive with lanes painted on our roads. Everyone is expected to follow those rules. And if they don't, they get honked at. But in places like India, where the are no lanes, you have to honk to let people know where you're going. Honking is helpful! This makes me laugh because it's so true. For my people, noisy interjections are startling correctors. For other people, noisy interjections are proactive responsibilities!

So which one is right?
No.
Both and.
We need each other.

Because I don't know who I am without learning who you are. I don't know I'm a sinner unless Jesus came to save. I don't know that I prefer driving with lanes painted on the road until I hear that in some places there are no lanes. And personally, deeply, I've learned so much about myself--what to celebrated and what to redeem--in the context of a diverse community in partnership.

If heaven is home, and heaven is to be sought first, and if heaven is coming to earth, and if heaven is a party of sanctified, diverse people. Let's get the party started.

"The Lord is King--let the heavens ring. God reigns--let the earth be glad."