Take a look around campus and you will see many diverse personalities, ethnicities, body types, and economic backgrounds. Modern culture teaches us to appreciate and celebrate these individual differences. This vast array of unique qualities are a factor of God’s beautiful creation and an expression of His character. It is easy for us to see these differences and separate our- selves from people who are unlike us, whether consciously or unconsciously.

As Christians, we should recognize these differences and the uniqueness they bring us all as God’s creations. However, our brotherhood in Christ brings us together no matter what physical differences separate us. Galatians 3:28 reminds us ” There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” God created us as a diverse people and He wants us to unite. He gave us different abilities and skills so that we would recognize our need for one another and appreciate our individuality.

The body of Christ is made to be diverse so that we can serve different purposes. 1 Corinthians 12: 12 makes this clear: “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.” God loves variety. His vast creation, not just in human beings and specifically Christians, but also the immense variety in all aspects of His creation. Look at the many species in any ecosystem all living in synchrony, or the changing seasons, each allowing for growth and harvest.

Acts describes the early Christians were incredibly diverse culturally. In Antioch, these diverse believers were coined the name “Christian” because they no longer fit the simple designation of Jew or Gentile. Their unity in Christ transcended their differences. 1 Peter 3: 8 reminds us of that we should have a unity of spirit as Christians: “Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous.”