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Kingdom Diversity
Jan 19, 01:42 PM
When the original disciples began to follow Jesus, many things about their lives changed. They did not simply “add Jesus” to their existing lives. The way they saw life, the way they saw people, the way they saw the world all changed. Their goals, ambitions, and priorities all had some major adjustments – some simply by means of their encounter with Jesus and what He did for them and some because of their own decision and determination. They probably lived differently and treated people differently as a result with their encounter with Jesus. But some things about them did not change. Many of their natural inclinations, passions, and abilities not only did not change but emerged in their finer, purer form.
If you look at those who originally followed Jesus and try to picture the various personalities represented there, you will see how diverse the followers of Jesus really were. Peter was strong, impetuous, and at times combative. He was mighty vocal in what he believed and ended up vehemently railing against imposters of the faith. Nathaniel was without malice or deceit. Philip became an evangelist who believed that the task of Christians was to lead others to faith in Christ. Thomas was apparently a thinker – not a skeptic – but one for whom it had to make sense before he could believe it. John believed it was most important that we love each other. Judas was a thief. Mary Magdalene must have believed in miraculous deliverance since Jesus had cast seven demons out of her. Perhaps she was into healing, or maybe she just served Jesus out of gratitude for what he did for her. Joanna came from a place of power in Herod’s administration and ministered to Jesus out of her means. She was a person of prominence who took up following a Nazarene rabbi. Everyone who knew her must have thought she had gone nuts. I really admire her courage for what she did. I wonder how a person like her would approach discipleship.
It was a rather eclectic group of personalities, persuasions, and perspectives. The Kingdom of God is like that – it is made up of a great diversity of gifts and abilities. In fact, it is this diversity that provides vitality to the community of faith and helps us become a more complete embodiment of Jesus Christ in the world.
There are parameters to this diversity. We cannot just do and believe whatever we please. We live under Biblical authority and continuously submit ourselves to its counsel and precepts. We bow the knee to Jesus Christ and acknowledge Him as Lord of all. We believe in the overarching plan of God from creation to the glorious restoration of all things and see what we do now in that contxt. We have given ourselves in service to God so that His purposes might unfold for all people. We know that Christianity is a team sport and that we do not do well when we try to live out the faith on our own. We seek as best we can to love and serve others and to keep our lives as pure and good as we possibly can.
The world has thrown in our faces a counterfeit version of this same dynamic of diversity, not knowing that the One who created them would allow them to flourish in greater measure in their individuality than they ever could by trying to assert it through rebellion. God has the power to make you more of who you were created to be than you could ever achieve on your own.
Without diversity, we become ingrown, narrow, cultish and sick. Diversity does not come naturally. In fact, just the opposite is true. We tend to gravitate toward “like minded” people. It takes intentionality to achieve godly diversity. Jesus intentionally called those different disciples. Great leaders surround themselves with diverse people who, while differing in many ways, are still on the same page when it comes to the overall mission. Great leaders make room for that diversity and create an atmosphere where people can flourish in their gifts.