Unity and Diversity

“Unity in Diversity” is the theme for Zion’s Lent Midweek worship, Wednesdays at 11am. We heard from the Gospel of John this past (and first) Wednesday.

After Jesus feeds the 5,000, Jesus teaches that he himself is the true bread of life, inviting people to eat his flesh and drink his blood. Poetic words, maybe even intentionally confounding, inviting a deep connection and abiding trust in Jesus. But the crowds and disciples react strongly. They take offense. “This is a hard teaching,” they say, and many stop following Jesus. Then Jesus asks the 12 if they want to leave too, and they say, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

Here, unity is not Jesus’s goal. Consider your own family, Zion as a congregation, or even this nation. How could it free you and lead to life for all to have a goal other than unity or togetherness or belonging?

Cooperation is always chosen. Forced cooperation is never  cooperation. But often we do force it, force others or force ourselves. Togetherness/belonging and separateness/being our true, unique selves are two forces always at play, at every level of community. We can surrender who we really are to belong, and in pursuit of a sense of belonging, we attack other people’s individuality, enforce sameness.

Jesus does neither. He acts with an inner calm borne of his relationship with God. Jesus expresses that calm trust many times in this passage. It allows him to connect with others, frees him to feel compassion for people who are different, who disagree, allows him to feed those who will leave him. People respond to how you feel about them. We breed distrust, fear, hate with the distrust, fear, hate we feel for others. Jesus loves and connects, and people do indeed respond! If not everyone.

After connecting, Jesus asserts his own convictions, acts on his beliefs, without criticizing others or getting caught in emotional debate. Pastor and author Andy Stanley says, “Where you stand, people will organize around you.” And that’s just what happens with Jesus. The 12 organize around him, even as Jesus seems quite willing for them not to.

It’s because Jesus loves them that he is willing for them to leave. Because cooperation is always chosen, and Jesus trusts that the loving cooperation he desires will happen - can only happen - without fighting or forcing.

Actions speak louder than words. Jesus seems to know and trust that intuitively. Healing. Including. Feeding. Washing feet. Laying down his life for a world he counts as a friend. All his words, his teaching, merely interpret these actions. Actions that, again, flow from an inner calm rooted in trust in God.

How much to you dare to let people know who you really are and what you really believe? This is a test of for each of us and for our communities. How healthy and life-giving are we really, individually and together? Are we keeping the peace or making peace by standing for love? Are we being our true selves or are we simply rebelling against closeness out of unacknowledged hurt and pain?

Seek first connection with Jesus, who will give you peace. Your calm does not need to be perfect. Even a little less worry goes a long way. Becoming more calm by degrees will let you more and more connect with others and be yourself at the same time.

Chase togetherness and it will elude you. Let your life flow from trust in God, from your true self and true convictions, and true togetherness will find you.

Thanks be to God.

Pastor Clark