Being different, belonging together

I was amused by someone on a radio phone-in this week who suggested that the best way to sort out the mess which our parliamentarians seem to be in would be to put an experienced headteacher in charge, particularly one who was skilled in dealing with noisy, disruptive and argumentative children!  Some might think that such an idea (if it were possible) couldn’t possibly make things any worse, and might actually be of considerable benefit by encouraging our MPs to focus on the job in hand, stop all the petty squabbling and name-calling which has been so evident in recent months, and work together towards a solution to the Brexit issue.

To be frank, I hesitate even to mention the ‘B’ word, because the likelihood is that people reading this blog will have widely varying views on the issue and may feel it necessary to protest vehemently if anything I write goes against their firmly held beliefs!   One really sad aspect of our society which the Brexit debate has highlighted is that so many of us have never reached the level of maturity which enables us to disagree in an agreeable manner.  Tolerance is proclaimed, but it so often seems to disappear when we meet someone who sees things differently.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has been widely praised for her response to the attacks on two mosques in Christchurch, in which 50 people lost their lives.  She said, “Many of those directly affected by this shooting may be migrants to New Zealand, they may even be refugees here.  They have chosen to make New Zealand their home. It is their home. They are us.”  Words which spoke very strongly of the great need to find unity in diversity, to embrace all people in a common humanity.  This contrasts sharply with subsequent words from a prominent mosque leader in Christchurch, who blamed the Israeli Mossad agency for being behind the terror attack.  This has, not surprisingly, caused great offence to many in the Jewish community.

I occasionally go into the of our local schools to lead assemblies. I make a point of looking at the noticeboards in the assembly hall, because they indicate the kind of subject area on which the children have been working.  A while ago I noticed one which particularly took my eye.  It's headline was, "Being different, belonging together" 

The final book in the Bible is the book of Revelation, in which the apostle John writes of a vision which he had been given of the end times, when God will gather his people to himself.  John writes, ‘I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb’ (Revelation 7.9).  A wonderful image of a great multitude of diverse people who are united through the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  That vision will become a reality for all those who trust in him!

But that vision is not just for the future; I believe it is Christ’s vision for his Church today.  Sadly, we often fall short, but Jesus' clear desire is that his Church might reflect his love in all their relationships, and find the way to love and respect those whose views might be very different.  ‘This is how everyone will recognise that you are my disciples - when they see the love you have for each other’ (John 13.35).  An ongoing challenge for us all.

Jesus is in the mess

On the face of it, noticeboards are a good thing: they give the opportunity to advertise events, highlight important matters and make statements.  The problem is, of course, the many people ignore them.  A few weeks ago, I was looking at a noticeboard which is devoted to displaying some of the work produced by the children and young people of Sunday Club in one of my churches.  I regularly take a look at the noticeboard, as it often contains items of interest which provoke reflection.  This is one which took my attention recently:

Jesus’ promise to his disciples, ‘I am with you always’ (Matthew 28.20) reflects the many occasions in the Bible when God assures his people of his constant presence.  For example, in Isaiah 41.10 we read, ‘do not fear, for I am with you’ and in Hebrews 13.5, ‘I will never leave you; I will never abandon you.’

The most well known and loved of all the Psalms is Psalm 23.  The Psalm paints an assuring picture of the loving provision of the shepherd for his sheep, and in doing so reflects God’s relationship with his people.  The shepherd is, to the sheep, the guide, provider, protector and comforter.  So, as the writer of the Psalm considers God’s constant presence, he can say, ‘Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me’ (v4).

When we find ourselves in troubled times, we may be tempted to ask why God has allowed us to encounter such an experience.  The truth is that nowhere in the Bible does it say that if we trust in God and believe in Jesus Christ, we will experience a trouble-free life – in fact sometimes the opposite may be the case.  It is significant, I think, that the psalmist writes, ‘Even though I walk through the darkest valley..’  Not around the darkest valley, but through it! 

It is likely that all of us at different times will face ‘storms’ in our lives.  We need, then, to hang on to God’s promise that he will be right there with us in the storm and will lead us through it.  In other words, when we’re in a mess, we will find that Jesus is right there with us!