A thought by
Larry Osborne,
(2009-04-10) from his book, Spirituality for the Rest of Us: A Down-to-Earth Guide to Knowing God (p. 36). The Crown
Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to
buy the book)
This is
important in understanding and accepting each other. Larry says, “We're all radically different
from birth. The same information and experiences that shaped us into who we are
can produce a very different world-view, theological perspective, and pattern
of spirituality when seen through the lens of another. That's not to say
there's no such thing as absolute spiritual truth—or that it resides only in
the eyes of the beholder. The Bible spells out plenty of things in black and
white—certainly all the important stuff.”
He goes on,
“But that's not what usually divides us. Mostly it's the things the Bible
doesn't nail down that we fight over. It's the practical outworking of biblical
implications and principles that sends us down drastically different paths.
Let's be real. We may know in our head that each Christian has a unique
assignment from God. But when the assignments produce radically different
lifestyles and approaches to spirituality, we have a difficult time validating
both.”
Larry then
goes into a look at the different styles of life and ministry of Jesus and John
the Baptist. I mean one was very
accepting and the other was very confrontational. And some of John’s disciples came to Jesus a
little confused because he didn’t do ministry like John did. And it seemed that John was also
confused.
And Larry
said, “Jesus' disciples were equally confused about John. How could one so
unlike their master possibly be pleasing to the heavenly Father? Yet Jesus made
it clear: The Father was greatly pleased with both.”
He goes on, “COULD
THE SAME THING be happening today? Could God be pleased with those whose walk
with him is as different from ours as John's was from that of Jesus? Could the
patterns, disciplines, and paths of spirituality we hold so dear be far less
important than the fruit they produce? Is it possible that someone whose journey
includes choices, practices, and a lifestyle far different from our own
actually knows God as well as or better than we do? If the words of Jesus mean
anything, the answer is a resounding yes. In his critique of John, the
Pharisees, and his own ministry, Jesus was saying something most Christian
leaders seem to miss: It's the fruit that matters. That should forever put to
bed our attempts to create a one-size-fits-all spirituality. It should silence
much of our criticisms of one another. And if properly understood, it should
lead to a genuine celebration of our diversity in calling and in our expressions
of faith. John or Jesus? The answer is both.”
Do you think God is pleased with how we view the diversity in each other?
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