From time to time, we suddenly come across a sense that someone else is very different to us. We might hear a comment or witness a behaviour that we just don’t like. That might even feel wrong and offensive. It can jar and cause rifts. Reduce the potential for us to feel at peace with this other person.
And it is hard to keep on loving them, because there are times we might want to stand up for a particular cause because we perceive there is injustice or harm being done to others. And God is a God of justice, and I absolutely do not believe that the church should stay out of politics, but how do we do that when there are extreme left and extreme right points of views.
Last week was Trinity – a time to celebrate that our God is a God of relationship and love, because without relationship there is no ability to love – love self-sacrificially. So when we come to church we come together as one body, with different functions and different abilities. But we are all called to come and worship the Lord our God and to love one another, despite our differences because we all belong to Christ. We will get things wrong. What has delighted me is that a couple of people have told me that they have marveled at the fact that St Peter’s has such diverse views and yet the people come and worship together. What a witness to the Spirit of God being in us. But we need to treasure this, and that means
that when we come across difference we still need to love the other. The Spirit frees us from the chains of hate, forgiveness, bitterness, anger, hopelessness and replaces them with love, peace, patience, kindness, self control, gentleness, forbearance, joy and faithfulness.
So let’s keep praying for the Spirit, to influence and transform our behaviours so that we can be the lights He calls us to be. More on Galations on Sunday!
So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Galatians 3:26-29Rev Natasha Thomas
