The Beauty of diversity In a Nut Shell.
We are all equal in God’s sight.We all belong both here on earth and in heaven
It is the desire of God that both the world and His church should have unity in its diversity.
There is unity and justice meant for all throughout all of God’s promises documented over 4000 years in the bible.
Jesus ministry encompassed equality.
In Acts 2, our reading on Pentecost Sunday, the diversity of languages the Holy Spirit gave were to be heard by a diversity of nations present:
“Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.””
This and our commission to take the gospel to all the Nations, all ethnicities leaves us in no doubt that Jesus was for all.
His church was diverse.
His Kingdom was inclusive of all however marginalised for whatever reason.
The revelation of God was for all people of all ethnicities, it was in God’s Manifold Wisdom, a word replicated in the many coloured coat of Joseph.
It is in Revelations that in heaven there will be those of every tribe and nation Praising God.
Today it is a dream and vision of many to bring equality to all diverse groups social, elitism, sexism, racism, all minorities.
It has become the mission of some influential church leaders to train and plant church leaders of all diversities in many locations especially those with diverse populations. The message that colour of skin, nationality, culture and status makes no divisions.
All people matter.
All play their part.
All are equally loved.
Diversity is beautiful.
May this be an era where we stand together as church firmly to denounce all that does not represent equality and unity in our diversity.
The illustration is a nut shell chosen as a fruit and home to protect a precious God given seed.
Also symbolic of the Fruit of the Holy Spirit Love.
Also Representative as Church where the Spectrum of Light from above in heaven is mirrored in the Rainbow spectrum of hope in the church below here on earth.
The beauty of diversity in a nut shell.
Three scriptures that come to mind are:
“for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 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. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.”Galatians 3:26-29 ESV
“so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord,”Ephesians 3:10-11 ESV
“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,”Revelation 7:9 ESV
The song by Matt Maher. And all the people said Amen
Lessisgreater 