When you find someone from your town or area, it’s exciting. You could be at Walmart, the doctor’s office or on a cruise. Suddenly, you hear someone mention your home town. You talk to them and it’s an instant bond. You have something huge in common. You know the same roads, stores, schools…you have a commonality.
As followers of Christ, you look at any body of believers and it’s typically a diverse group. You’ll find the educated and the uneducated; you’ll find those with no money and lots of money; you’ll find different skin colors and different nations of origin; you’ll probably hear different languages spoken. But the Apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:1-10, that we are all the same. As believers, we walk together in unity despite our different opinions and backgrounds.
You see, we are all from the same exact place. Paul tells us early in Ephesians 2, we were ALL dead in our sins…that we all USED to live the way of at the world…that we ALL were deserving of God’s anger and wrath. Paul tells us, we are ALL from the same exact place: Deadsville, USA, population: everyone.
Paul also reminds us that we ALL got into the family of God the same way too. If you are an adopted son or daughter of God…if Jesus is your brother, then you are part of the family of God! And the way we all got in was through Jesus and his sacrifice (“so that no one can boast”).
I’ve worked in churches since 1993. I found it fascinating that someone in every church needs to tell me something like, “You know, my grandparents started this church”, or “my family has attended here since 1906”, or “I gave a lot of money to build this church building”, or ‘I’ve been on 23 mission trips”. Paul says, no one can boast. It’s because of Jesus you are in the family. It’s because of grace you have been saved, nothing you have done.
Finally, Paul tells us we ALL have something special to do together. In Ephesians 2:10, Paul says we are God’s masterpiece. The original language uses the Greek word from which we get our English word, poem. Paul says that we are God’s poetry to the world around us.
Paul is calling us to be a sweet aroma to those we come in contact every day for the cause of Christ. Our words and behavior should reflect the unconditional love and grace of Jesus. If we are to boast, we boast in Jesus Christ because it is in Him we have life and life to full.
So that challenge this summer is go be Jesus. Express kindness, peace, and compassion. Hand out love, grace and forgiveness. Speak words of life to those you interact with each day. Blessings on your journey.