"Diversi-TEA: : Re-Brew #2

And then he told them, "Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. (Mark 16:15, NLT) 

"Go ye into all the world."....that verse kept coming to mind as I watched the depressing "world news" on NBC tonight. We are diverse and yet in many ways, we're just the same. We all need hope.

Diverse----maybe NOT so much. Many cultures seem to be searching God's word for hope and understanding. We're even drawn to the same verses regardless of the translation.
Most popular Bible verses in the top 10 most populous countries are shown to be very similar. (Bible Gateway'a missiographic link)

Check out what people from all nations are "searching for."
Love, hope, guidance, strength.

These 10 countries were tops in the missiographic global Bible searches.

These results gave me lots to think about as I pondered this World view snapshot. Diverse cultures? Yes? Same needs? Yes.

Psalm 23 was listed in every country but Indonesia. The Bible books of Psalms, Genesis, & John were also repeated.

Diversi-TEA. Sip it with a friend and share God's unconditional love with them.

"diversi-TEA": a Re-brew

And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone's opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God....(Mark 12:14, ESV)

Diversity among believers, who serve the one true God, is a good thing. Within one's own congregation, many God-given gifts are employed in a variety of ways, in order to celebrate the unique unity of the body. Diversity is uniqueness as I shared in a 9/10/11 blog entry.

Embracing the culture of my Sudanese friends in Bible Study has so enriched my understanding of trusting God. These gals have lived this truth right before my eyes. What a blessing. 

In appearance we are vastly different---from the color of our skin to the age of our bones. But God....in His love and mercy has had our paths cross and my life is richer because of this relationship. I count on their support when I'm teaching and they are always there. Front and center. Encouraging. Hopefully they value my friendship as well. 

So let’s stop condemning each other...as Roman 14:13, NLT says, and choose instead to share a cuppa diversi-TEA. Their's 's might be a Rooibos red tea and mine might be an Assam black tea....but, when shared, both cuppas warm our souls. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us. (Colossians 3:11, NLT) That's God's way.

Diversi—TEA

10/28/10 As I set my tea cup on the counter this morning, it was reflected in my framed birthday card from Ashley B.
There is probably no one more diverse in my life than my dear friend, Ashley Bryan. Ashley doesn’t “talk the talk,” Ashley “walks the walk” and is without a doubt one of the kindest folks I have ever known.
So why the diversi—TEA nomenclature? We differ in gender--he’s a he. We differ in age. We're a generation apart. During WWII, before I was even born, he kept a sketch pad in his gas mask. We differ in race. His African roots come by way of Harlem & an Antigua ancestry. We differ in culture---even his home today is on a small island and his passion is preserving the folktales and spirituals of his roots. We differ in experience---his would take pages to list, mine not so much. We differ in distinction. He’s recognized in the art world and literary world with national and international awards under his belt---numerous Coretta Scott King awards, the 2009 Laura Ingalls Wilder medal from ALA for for substantial and lasting contributions to children's literature. In 2008 Ashley was recognized with S. Rushdie, E. Albee, and Nora Ephron as an NYC Literary Lion.

Ashley is all the above and so much more and yet he has been my friend regardless of the differences. One of his book inscriptions reads, "we be family." Together we embrace diversity.

For Molly’s 21st birthday he invited us to Isleford to steam fresh lobster. (her favorite food) He showed her his stained glass works of the 4 apostles made from sea glass & helped her make papier-mâché. He’s met Larry and stayed in our home. He met son, Buddy when he was in Dallas for the opening of the African American Art Museum. He met son, Josh when he was accepting the Society of American Illustrators lifetime achievement award in New York City. He meets up with me at literary conferences and introduces me to the “biggies,” somewhat oblivious that he is a biggie himself. Together we celebrate diversity.

A picture graces my wall that he painted because it “sang out to him of Dotsy.” If you ever check Ashley out on wikipedia, you’ll see him standing in front of a similar work. When he couldn’t make it to Dallas during my October ’09 surgery, he wrote a letter explaining the change. Later he called to check on me. That, my friends, is diversity at it’s finest.

It is truth practiced in love and should be the “color of our spiritual life” regardless of the color of our skin. Abounding love approves those things which are excellent and glorify the God we serve. (Philippians 1: 9-11)

Thanks Ashley for living out those lessons of diversi—TEA for me.