South Africa is such a diverse nation. Different cultures, religions, races, languages. A melting pot of diversity. A potjiekos – delicious because of the different ingredients. And so, just like the potjiekos, our lives are richer and tastier because of diversity.
One of my favourite scriptures is Galatians 3: 26-29
26 For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
27 And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes.
28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you.
Let us not fear our differences, but rather celebrate them: knowing that we are all children of God. Created equally by God who intends for us to live in equality, respecting one another. We should be working continuously to make our families, churches and communities less sexist and racist. We respect each other because we have been created in the image of God. We need each other. We are one body with many parts as Paul teaches us in 1 Corinthians 12: 12-18
12 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ.
13 Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptised into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.
14 Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part.
15 If the foot says, “I am not part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less part of the body.
16 And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body?
17 If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?
18 But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it.
God loves every nation. He has created all nations and shows no favouritism. Peter made this very clear in Acts 10: 34-35
34 Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favouritism.
35 In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right.
We have no right to impose our culture on others. There is value in all cultures. There is sin in all cultures. Let us celebrate and enjoy our differences.