Saturday, July 28, 2012

One World


I watched the Olympic Opening Ceremony tonight. I always love the excitement of the opening ceremonies: so much to see, enjoy, and learn about the host country and all of the countries represented.

Tonight I was taken by the colorful costumes of so many of the countries,  and the traditional dress and flags of each country. As I looked around the arena, I saw so much diversity, so many peoples, so many heritages, all come together as one world, to celebrate and unify.

Does the amount of diversity and difference in the world ever strike you? Each country, culture, language, family and person is so totally unique. What could be the joining factor among us all? Our planet, for one. Some of us share a language; others share a continent of a political ideal. A few of us share a religion. But what, aside from our humanity unites us?

That’s just it though: our humanity. We can all unite and admit that we are human. What makes us human, though, is our Creator: God.

I know, not everyone reading this (or those I imagine might read this, if my words were better spread) agree on God, if He is there, or who or what He is. I, for one, believe, no, exist in Him. And I see in our Olympic games, in our diversity, in our Humanity, I see a reflection and an image of Him.

Let’s go with this idea for a minute, and act as if we all follow my train of thought, as if this were a world created by a God. This God, well, he is all about love. Is love something that a unified humanity projects? I believe it is.

I saw love in the Opening Ceremony, people joined together across a city, a nation, and the world, for one event.
I saw love as each constituency walked by, proudly waving their flags for their homes, their people, their families.
I saw love, as those dressed in white, advocates for peace, carried the Olympic flag to the Tor.
And I saw love, as nations joined together in a ceremony of peace.

Isn’t it amazing that love can do that? Could love do that if it were a human creation, something that randomly happened among people? Would people work for it, achieve great things, if it were something we could make up? Love is, well, LOVE because it is greater than us in our humanity. Love is of God.

God created each and every one of those people at the ceremony tonight. He planned their cultures, knew their futures and their plans (even that they would be at the games!) before they were born.

When I see diversity, I see God, because He isn’t some static being who lives in a whitewashed church room. God is the God of diversity, who has every culture, every nation, everything within Him. Could we have all this diversity if He were now diverse Himself? There is "one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all."(Ephesians 4:6 NLT)

In my travels and experiences with people from around the world I have seen this to be true. From Oklahoma to China, Mexico to Australia, New York to Japan, we are all very different, but our Creator unites us in Himself. He is beyond understanding or explaining, and He is love.

Enjoy the Olympics. I know I will.
{Amen}

1 comment:

  1. Have enjoyed them with you. You are a special seer-- thank you for the times when you let me see through your eyes.
    Mom

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