Galatians: There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.
What would the world look like should we accept this verse fully? I suspect we would have peace, world peace. There would be no judgment, only compassion. No fear, only love. No exclusion, only inclusion.
One of my friends is openly queer, and one time we were talking about an angel who stood before me several times during my first farmer's market season and left an impression on me. This angel must have been nine or ten years old, had long dark hair, and had male and female characteristics. Even now, I have no idea if the angel was male or female. All I knew was that that child was special and angelic.
As a society, we are divided about so many things, one of them being the question of identity. Another friend of mine had a daughter going through "transition." At the time, I had no idea what she was talking about, so I said, "Aren't we all?"
I later learned that her daughter was transitioning to a male. My friend explained that it would take several years, hormones, and operations. She grieved the loss of the child she raised and had to accept her child in transition. Her child didn't identify as female, and wanted to be known as "they" because they believe that they are basically "both-and," in other words, all-inclusive.
Isn't that what the verse is saying? There are no exclusions, only inclusions. No divisions, only acceptance. No judgment, only compassion. No fear, only love.
Today, may we be open and accepting of everyone, no matter the pronoun for which they choose to identify, no matter the color of their skin, no matter their sexual orientation, and no matter their socioeconomic status. May we be more like Jesus, by being more inclusive and being "both-and" instead of "either-or."
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