ALL UNIQUE BUT TOGETHER AS ONE

Our current culture’s message is often the antithesis of this verse. We are encouraged to focus on ourselves. Unfortunately, when carried to extremes, this emphasis helps distort and diminish the value of individuals unlike ourselves and leads us to believe that our lives and beliefs are superior to others.

God created an amazing world, with every component intertwined and contributing different but essential roles to the benefit of all. Consider the example that occurred in nature when wolves were hunted to extinction in Yellowstone National Park. Their removal from the ecosystem triggered a cascading negative impact on biodiversity that was devastating. It resulted in habitat degradation, only restored with the reintroduction of the wolf decades later.

We are no exception. Every person God created is unique and possesses different abilities necessary for the whole of society. Every person has something to contribute. It is essential that we honor that uniqueness of each individual. Humankind is weakened when we fail to be inclusive.

During Jesus’ ministry, his message was based on love. He saw beyond a person’s rhetoric to the sincerity of their heart. He especially loved those disregarded and marginalized in society.

If we have been transformed by Jesus’ love, our lives will reflect the way we treat others by honoring the inherent dignity of each individual.

Gracious Lord, let us put away selfishness and arrogance, in favor of love and respect for one another. Amen

Shari Ryding

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Reformation Lutheran Church A Congregation of the ELCA

ALL UNIQUE BUT TOGETHER AS ONE