Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us.”
NL Daily Devotion for Sunday, July 18, 2021
by Dr. Kimberly Leetch, Clergy Stuff
Main Idea: Christ came to break down barriers.
It was unthinkable that Gentiles and Jews would have anything in common, much less break bread or work together. Gentiles were unclean and uncircumcised. Jews followed strict rites and rituals that explicitly prohibited them from participating in anything with a Gentile. Yet, this letter to the Ephesians makes it quite clear all Christ’s followers were to work together—Gentile and Jew. It was a radical idea.
Humans are notorious for digging in their heels when it comes to opening themselves to the differing perspectives of others. We like what’s the same. We like what’s familiar. Different is uncomfortable.
But different is what we are called to. When we refuse to honor what’s different, we become isolated and our disdain for the other is heightened. When we acknowledge differences as gifts that we may not possess, we can not only learn and grow, but also utilize the varying gifts to do more together than can be done alone.
As a small business owner, I often struggled with completing the tasks that were hard for me. Nobody has all the gifts. The best thing I learned was to surround myself with people who share the vision, but possess different gifts, and then to allow them to use their gifts without much interference from me, who knows less about it than they do. Some have even suggested that in daily life, one could barter their gifts for the gifts of another if money is an issue. If you are great with finances but can’t cook to save your life, you might trade a good, home-cooked meal for an hour consultation on another’s budget. Imagine if our communities bartered gifts and talents instead of money! Imagine if we could honor each other’s differences instead of hate them! Christ came to break down barriers so that we could reap the benefits of honoring our differences.
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