That's diversity
When I worked my three years at Burger King, I would often get the question, "How can you work here, being a vegetarian?" The answer was simple really. Just because my conviction told me to be vegetarian, I did not and still do not expect everyone else's conviction to be the same as mine. I can tell you specifically why I feel convicted to be vegetarian. I believe we were all created to be. I believe, sometime in the near or distant future, we will be vegetarian again. There will be a time when the wolf and the lion will lie down together and the child and the cobra will be playmates. If you don't feel the same, I won't judge you. Do what's right for you.
That's diversity.
My twelve-year old son, whom I have written about frequently, has dyslexia. We do not consider it a "learning disability." We consider it a different way of learning. We consider it a different way viewing the world. The same is true with my ten-year old, whom I have no doubt would be diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) if we were to pursue that diagnosis. It's all good. There's nothing wrong with learning differently.
That's diversity.
I am a firm believer in spiritual gifts and God-given talents. It's one of the reasons we unschool. Isn't it ironic that when Romans 12:3-8 discusses spiritual gifts, it says no one should become prideful over their gifts. It then lists very different gifts given by the same God. Let's take a look:
For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness (NKJV).
Wait a minute. What does that mean about pride? Who would say that one gift is better than another? Hmm.
And how can the gift of exhortation (encouragement) come from the same God as the gift of prophecy? They are two very different ideas. Hmm.
Right now, there is a social media debate over if "conservatives" are more correct (and godly) for opposing abortion than "libs" (oh, I hate that disrespectful term) - make that "liberals" - are for being outraged over the killing of a protected lion. Maybe neither are wrong. Maybe each group is called to something different - and maybe, just maybe, our own pride is getting in the way. Those on each side are considering their own gifts, their own passion, their own conviction better than the gifts, passion, and conviction of the other. - That's not diversity.
Why do we have such a hard time understanding it's okay for people to be different? It's okay for people to think differently. It's okay for your calling to be different than my calling. It's okay for your opinion to be different than mine.
Perhaps we all need to stop thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought to think and start respecting others for their differences and differences of opinion and different callings. Perhaps God isn't happy with our arrogance in deciding what He feels is most important. Perhaps we should stop focusing on what we feel others are doing wrong and start concentrating on what part God would have us to play in the good fight of faith.
That's diversity.
That's diversity.
My twelve-year old son, whom I have written about frequently, has dyslexia. We do not consider it a "learning disability." We consider it a different way of learning. We consider it a different way viewing the world. The same is true with my ten-year old, whom I have no doubt would be diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) if we were to pursue that diagnosis. It's all good. There's nothing wrong with learning differently.
That's diversity.
I am a firm believer in spiritual gifts and God-given talents. It's one of the reasons we unschool. Isn't it ironic that when Romans 12:3-8 discusses spiritual gifts, it says no one should become prideful over their gifts. It then lists very different gifts given by the same God. Let's take a look:
For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness (NKJV).
Wait a minute. What does that mean about pride? Who would say that one gift is better than another? Hmm.
And how can the gift of exhortation (encouragement) come from the same God as the gift of prophecy? They are two very different ideas. Hmm.
Right now, there is a social media debate over if "conservatives" are more correct (and godly) for opposing abortion than "libs" (oh, I hate that disrespectful term) - make that "liberals" - are for being outraged over the killing of a protected lion. Maybe neither are wrong. Maybe each group is called to something different - and maybe, just maybe, our own pride is getting in the way. Those on each side are considering their own gifts, their own passion, their own conviction better than the gifts, passion, and conviction of the other. - That's not diversity.
Why do we have such a hard time understanding it's okay for people to be different? It's okay for people to think differently. It's okay for your calling to be different than my calling. It's okay for your opinion to be different than mine.
Perhaps we all need to stop thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought to think and start respecting others for their differences and differences of opinion and different callings. Perhaps God isn't happy with our arrogance in deciding what He feels is most important. Perhaps we should stop focusing on what we feel others are doing wrong and start concentrating on what part God would have us to play in the good fight of faith.
That's diversity.
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