For Love of Differences

I’m really beginning to learn the beauty and greatness of loving others, not just in spite of, but sometimes even because of our differences. I’ll try to explain. We all know how easy it is to love those who look, act, think, and talk like we do. It’s easy to smile at the person who is reading the same book as you or listening to the same song, but what about the person who is reading a book from an author that may just go against what you think or believe? Do we smile the same at them?

My husband, Noah, in his latest blog writes of a situation where two neighbors have never become close but are always cordial with one another until they each post a political campaign sign in their yards supporting opposite presidential candidates. Their cordial smiles turn into glaring snares and rolling eyes. All opportunity for any sort of friendship is gone without a word ever being spoken. I have started to see this everywhere, and even in my own life. Why do we allow differences to create enemies?

When I began to love others for their differences God became much bigger and yet much more relational than I had ever known Him to be. God doesn’t only love those who look, think, and act like me, which means He calls me to love people other than my look-a-likes as well. If He can love the beggar and the rich, the hurting and the healthy, the stubborn and the meek, and all those in between that shows His unique relationship with each of His people and that love should bring us together as a community.

We must change our attitudes and realize that we are missing the point of being a Christ-follower if we continue to separate ourselves into categories of the ever present “I’m right, you’re wrong” theology and politics.

We were given mercy & grace, and yet we act as judges and executioners. We were shown love & compassion, and yet we deny it to others daily. If we allow God to be bigger than the boxes we try to put Him in, we will begin to see how deeply and intricately He really cares for us. We have allowed our fears to control us and keep us from loving the way Christ would have us love. What are we so afraid of?

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out all fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love." 1 John 4:18

"There’s got to be a love that’s stronger than our fear..." -- Derek Webb