Because we are different...

God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.
​~ Acts 17:27

There are some days that I struggle to understand Christians, and it is okay. I know that each of us are created in the image of God, but anything beyond that image seems to be open for debate!

Of course I am kidding. Well, sorta.

Can you tell that I am struggling with this? I grew up in a family who claims to be Christian, but sometimes I just have to cringe when they become judgemental, racist, and unable to realize that people understand who God is in all kinds of ways.

Lately I think we know more about how not to treat one another, than how to care for one another. We will respond with words declaring that we will pray about things, while forgetting that in order for things to change, we must allow for the change to happen. Sometimes, that means we have to be the ones to make the first step.

I have to admit, since the morning I ended up at Santa Fe High School after a gunman opened fire, killing several students and teachers, my ability to deal with some Christian "values" has really been tested.

While refraining from cynicism, I want to make sure I am not coming across as one who has lost hope. I can assure you that this is still part of my own tapestry of life, however, sometimes I have to try just a little harder to make sure that I hold onto it!

Even in the time of Jesus, Jesus noted that even among his most faithful followers there were those who lacked faith, were judgemental about different types of people, and even those who failed to believe. It is not failure to struggle at times to simply understand why things happen, or to wonder how it is that someone could believe in a particular way. If we all believed the same way, there would only be one place of worship in every community!

But we aren't! I am thankful that we live in a world where diversity can and does provide beauty. Where people of different walks of life can, and often do walk together. I know that people are not perfect. I realize that not every person believes the same thing, but at the end of the day, realizing that we all are connected is the greatest lesson we must learn.

While there are those shouting that God be brought back into society, God has never left! Perhaps we just forgot how to allow God to exist in a world full of all kinds of people who are still God's children!

Stay in God's grip!

​G. Todd Williams (c) 2018