Sometimes the Lord leads us into situations we would not have chosen for ourselves. We don’t like to be singled out or to feel awkward. Today was one of those times and the Lord used it to remind me of important Biblical truths that I already knew but hadn’t thought about in a while.
We had a choice of two difference churches to attend today. We generally try to attend whatever church we think (due to a variety of criteria) will be the smallest. When we arrived for Sabbath school, there were no cars in the lot. We waited a couple of minutes and I noticed the lights were on in the church. So I went and looked in the door and one old man was sitting in there. I went back to get Ryan and more people began pulling in. In the end, we attended a fairly lively Sabbath school class. By the time the church service started, the whole room was filled but not to capacity.
Living where we do we hear a lot about minorities and how our society as a whole views and treats people considered to be a minority race. Race is a hot topic, and some people would rather avoid it. But can we, or should we, ignore something that affects so many people? Growing up in rural Highland County I knew maybe two African American students and knew of a few Hispanic people. When a student from Venezuela came, he immediately became part of our high school group. I remember his bubbly personality and how when he’d get exited he’d switch from English to Spanish and we had to tell him to switch back so we could understand him!
Some people claim that they no longer (or maybe never have) seen “race.” Meaning (I think) that they do not take a person’s skin color or other physical attributes into consideration when forming their opinions of other people. Growing up as I did, I do see race. I also see a great many other things like height, weight, hair color, how you walk, how your voice sounds, etc. There are many differences that make up each of us, not just including the color of our skin. Sometimes people who “don’t see race” act like it is a bad thing if you do. I think this is a travesty. Just because I see physical differences doesn’t mean I’m holding something against that person.
So, at this church we were the only white people in attendance. Were we the minority? If you are going by skin color then yes, we were. “For also by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free, even all were made to drink into one Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 12:13 Regardless of skin color, both they and we are God’s people. I think I shook hands with almost every person in the building. Some of the ladies even hugged me as if I was a long-lost friend. All were welcoming and kind.
Their worship service was different from ours. Their music was different from ours. Their culture, the way they usually do things, was different from ours. However, their message was the SAME as ours. These are God’s people. Regardless of our differences, our message is the same. We are ALL God’s people as long as we are preaching and grounded in God’s word.
“By this all shall know that you are My disciples, if you have love toward one another.” John 13:35. Love does not mean that we do not have differences or that we cannot see differences, it means that we set our differences aside and come together into one Spirit.
If we are ever back in this area again, I hope and pray we visit this little church again. And I pray that the next time I will no longer be able to call them little but that their mission in Christ will have grown their church just as I pray He will also grow ours. Pray for our church, pray for their church. And do not resist the leading of the Spirit. He may take you to an awkward or slightly uncomfortable place but you will leave there with greater joy in the Spirit.