All Means All

Posted by: Amanda Bridle | Monday, October 21st, 2024 ( 8:00am)

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. — Psalm 24:1

Spin a globe and you’ll see an array of brightly colored shapes whirl by, each country a different color with clear borders distinguishing it from its neighbors. But study a photograph of our planet taken by an astronaut, and you’ll see land masses and blue oceans swirled with white clouds. Nary a dividing line in sight.

We humans are terribly fond of organizing ourselves into groups and drawing lines to divide ourselves. I live on the border of two different neighborhood associations, and nothing gets uglier faster on Facebook than someone mistakenly claiming to belong to one over the other. Somehow it becomes very important for the oversight to be corrected and for everyone to clearly understand where the address in question falls.

City borders, school district lines, denominational differences, and political affiliations all divide us into categories and camps. Are you like me or not like me? Do we think the same or not? Do I trust you? We humans continue with our debates and preferences big and small: private vs. public vs. homeschool, flats vs. heels, MSU vs. U of M, Meijer vs. Aldi, Apple vs. Android, morning person vs night owl (and do those two always marry?!). There is no end to human creativity when it comes to dividing ourselves.

But God says we all belong to him. Not just the ones who have it all figured out. Not just the ones who made all the right choices. Not even just his chosen people, the Jews.

God hints at this generosity way back in Genesis 12:3 when he tells Abraham “all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” In his parting words to the disciples before he ascends into Heaven, the risen Jesus commands them “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). In Acts chapter 10, God spells out his acceptance of the Gentiles, people outside of the Jewish culture, to Peter in a vision. Realizing what this means Peter announces, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.” In Revelation 7 John describes a glorious and beautiful scene where a “great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language” are all together worshipping Jesus.

So, whether they vote Republican or Democrat, a little of both, or not at all – they belong to God. Whether their colors are maize and blue, green and white, or whether they don’t care about college football at all – they belong to God. Whether their families have been here for thousands of years, hundreds of years, or arrived just this year – they belong to God. Whether they worship on Sunday with an organ and hymns or with guitars and drums or something else entirely – they belong to God. Whether they sing praises and whisper their prayers in English, Spanish, or another language – they belong to God. Whether they serve on stage, in the nursery, or at the kitchen table writing a note of encouragement – they belong to God.

Over and over God claims us as his children. All of us. We’re in and we’re loved. That’s not just good news for you but it’s good news for your neighbors around you.

May we have eyes to see our neighbors as God sees them. And may we have soft hearts to love and include them in the very same way God loves and includes us. Amen.