Today’s scripture: Psalm 113 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Lynnette Pullen):
There are roughly 7 billion people in the world, and none of us has the same DNA or fingerprints, yet we are indisputably and remarkably similar. There are 10,000 different kinds of apples that share similar tastes, size, and nutritional value. No two snowflakes are the same, yet they are all made of frozen water.
What am I getting at? Diversity within similarity. We recognize each other as human but look at each other as if we were aliens when we observe something “different.” Diversity is beautiful. It gives us beautiful meadows with hundreds of colorful flowers, an endless range of music and fullness in life we could never get if we all loved and did the same things. However, it has another side which we don’t like to mention.
Living in diversity is something that is easier said than done. I believe we genuinely want to live and worship in a diverse environment but to actually put that into practice is hard. To be comfortable in diversity we have to be open to things that historically make us uncomfortable.
When I read Psalm 113, I began to think about the ways I praise God. As a child, I was exposed to a more reverent and serene sort of praise that involved pin drop silent services and lots of reading. All music (if any) was sung a cappella. It was not sung for artistic value, but more like a ritualistic chant. When I got out on my own, I tried different environments that were more expressive, to the point of dancing in the aisles, screaming for joy, and running around the church. At times I was a little frightened by the activity and didn’t quite understand it. I can relate most to something more in the middle of the two styles. However, I am keenly aware that others have a strong preference for one or the other. So how do you get those two people to attend the same service and enjoy it? I have no idea!
I do know this: as diverse as God is, I’m pretty sure all forms of sincere and genuine praise are accepted. In order to be more Christlike, my guess is that we, too, have to accept and welcome different forms of praise. I’ve heard the more demonstrative praisers say things like “You can cheer for your favorite football team! Why can’t you stand up and cheer for God?” While I see the point of that, the flip side may be that because some may cheer for their favorite team, they may want to do something different or special as an offering to God. Or maybe cheering doesn’t move their spirit, just their emotions. Conversely, I’ve heard the more reverent people say things like “All that loud music and dancing is disrespectful in the house of the Lord!” While I can see how some may feel that way, the bible says that David danced mightily before the Lord while music played (2 Samuel 6:14-15). For those people, physical movement and music helps them get closer to God and celebrate their love for the Lord.
God loves diversity. I believe God created diversity to help us learn from each other. I’m reminded of the song I Can Only Imagine by Mercy Me where the singer tries to anticipate what form of worship he will display when finally meeting Christ. He sings:
Surrounded by your glory, what will my heart feel?
Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still?
Will I stand in your presence, or to my knees will I fall?
Will I sing hallelujah? Will I be able to speak at all?
I can only imagine.
Prayer for the day: God, Thank you for diversity and the challenges that come with it. Help us to open our minds and hearts to the differences within our similarities so that we may become more like Christ. Help us to show love, grace, and acceptance to all of humanity in order to embrace diversity, like you do.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.