Tuesday, July 01, 2008

UNITY IN DIVERSITY

I was discussing the Bible with some brethren who interpret the scriptures from what I would call a “more legalistic approach” to biblical interpretation than what I believe is correct.  During the course of our discussion one of the brethren asked me if I was a part of the “unity in diversity” movement (I can’t remember his exact wording but it was something like that).  When he asked that I got the impression that there was some specific movement out there that I was not specifically familiar with and I hesitated to answer the question because I wasn’t sure what all was included in that label.  Since then I have thought a great deal about the question and am more fully prepared to give a more complete answer.
As I look back at the first century church I see passages which seem to me to be talking specifically about unity in diversity.  For example, 1 Corinthians 12 is full of verses that talk about diversity as in different kinds of gifts (v. 4), different kinds of service (v. 5), different kinds of working (v. 6), but the same God works all of them in all men.
7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit,
9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit,
10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.
11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.  

 

That sure sounds like unity in diversity to me—but wait, there’s more!

 

12 The body is a unit (as in unity), though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.
13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many.

 

So he’s talked about the diversity in roles that members of the body fulfill.  He’s talked about the diversity in racial make up, religious backgrounds, and slave/freedmen status.

 

That sure sounds like unity in diversity to me—but wait, there’s more!

 

We see in 1 Corinthians 8 that in this body there were very diverse opinions about doctrinal issues—specifically, eating meat offered to idols.  This chapter not only reveals the facts about those doctrines but it also points out that the church is diverse in that it is made up of a wide range of spiritual maturity in it’s members.  Some are weak brothers, some are not.  Some are correct in their thinking and some are not.  Paul does not require either side of this differing doctrinal opinions to change before they should accept or be accepted by the other.
Then in chapter 11 he talks about the diversity in incomes and financial status.

 

In spite of all this diversity—in gifts, roles, backgrounds, status, maturity and doctrinal positions—God, through Paul, tells them they can have unity and that this, in fact, is what he is asking them to strive for.  They each have an important role to play.

 

If you listened to my more legalistic brethren, they would say that the only way to have unity is through perfect agreement on doctrinal issues—specifically “the five acts of worship.”  This is not biblical.  As my friend, the Middleman says, “Unity is not the same as conformity” and if someone has become a child of God through belief in Jesus as the son of God and has put him on in baptism, we have no biblical right to reject him based upon his unwillingness to conform to our interpretation on worship regulations—even if he’s wrong.  That is up to God (Romans 14).

 

So to answer the original question, yes, I do believe in unity in diversity, because that is what the Bible teaches.  The more I think about it, how could I believe otherwise.  God Bless, Dennis

 

Posted by Dennis at 15:22:59 | Permanent Link | Comments (5) |

Bowel Movements, Inside Out, ASAP

As I’m nearing the completion of my book I’ve dredged up some miniscule memories that were tucked away in little crevices of my brain—specifically those mentioned in the title.  Though these may seem to be unrelated topics, generally speaking, they are all related in my mind because of their tie to previous experiences I’ve had.

When I was a young boy, whenever my stomach would ache a common question my mother would ask me was whether or not I had experienced a bowel movement.  I had no idea of what she was speaking.  I just kept thinking she was talking about some kind of ball.  (She should have asked if I did a #2.  Then I would have known what she was talking about.)  I always said, “No.”  I didn’t know what a bowel movement was and I figured if I’d had one I would have known about it.  Therefore, I didn’t have any bowel movements until I was several years older.  Before that I just went to the bathroom.    

When Jarod was playing optimist football in the fourth grade, the offensive line coach kept telling these 10 year olds that their responsibility was inside out.  What he was meaning by that was that if two defensive players were lined up across the line from them, their most important responsibility was to block the one that was lined up closer to the football—the “inside” man.  If there was no one inside, then he was to block the one on the outside—further away from the football.  Thus, their responsibility was “inside-out.”  For all they knew he could have been telling them that their responsibility was upside down and backwards.  They didn’t have a clue as to his meaning—ergo the blank stares.

I laugh at my previous lack of understanding of the terminology of A.S.A.P. (As Soon As Possible).  When I first started teaching in Arlington , the counselor sent me a note wanting some information ASAP.  Later she asked me why I hadn’t gotten it back to her.  I told her that I didn’t realize she needed it quickly.  She said, “I put ASAP on it.”  I said, “What does that mean?”  She went blank and then explained it.  I told her that we didn’t use that terminology on the farm.  Dad just said, “Hurry up.”  I had thought she was just making a joke about a sap or something.  I guess the joke was on me. 

When I was teaching eighth graders in an alternative school (where they sent kids who were kicked out of other schools) in Ft Worth, the principal, Steve Gay, taught me a valuable lesson.  It was prompted when he heard someone telling a student, “You know better than that!”  He said that because of the background of many of these kids—their horrible or non-existent home life—that they really didn’t know better on many things we had assumed they would.  No one had ever explained to them what it was or they had never considered how their actions impacted others in a negative way. 

The truth is we all have something, even what most people consider really simple things, that we don’t know about because we’ve had no occasion to know about them.  Thanks to the life experiences I’ve had and Mr. Gay’s instruction I was able to be a better teacher by making sure to point out simple things that I would not have mentioned otherwise.  I even try to do this today with my sweet grandson, Trapper.  I look for teachable moments to educate him about the “simple” ordinary things of life.  Then he will know about them and be able to make better decisions as a result.  And who doesn’t need that ability?  So the next time you see me doing something stupid, don’t assume I’m doing it on purpose.  Cut me some slack and love me anyway.  That’s what I really need.  God Bless, Dennis

Posted by Dennis at 15:21:17 | Permanent Link | Comments (1) |