“In Christ, it doesn’t matter if you’re a Jew or Gentile,
slave or free, man or woman." ~ Galatians 3:28
Hollywood loves a great story, no
matter its exaggeration. If movies weren’t
inflated far beyond real life, many people wouldn’t understand or catch on. Embellishment incites emotion, conveys certain
narratives, and seduces patrons.
So what if I told you that the myth of the slaves building
pyramids is the stuff of tabloids; that the world simply couldn’t believe they
were built without oppression?
The pyramids of the Giza Plateau are possibly the most
famous structures in the world. Much
more than just royal tombs, research shows they had a socially-unifying meaning
as well.
The image that Hollywood portrayed was one of slaves, working
under the cruelty of Pharaoh’s whip, building the pyramids. But recent archaeological findings suggest
that their construction may have involved the entire country; every Egyptian household
sent workers, grain, and food to contribute to this national project.
Once completed, a capstone encased in gold was placed atop
the pyramid. Then it was time for
dancing and singing as the entire nation celebrated completion of their enormous
achievement.
The mission of building the Pyramids served to unify the
Egyptian state. One might say that the
people rallied round the Pharaoh to help bring to fruition his dream of eternal
life.
Modern Christians can learn from that experience.
Like the early Egyptians, unity derives from a shared vision
and common purpose. Just as there were
great differences among all those Egyptian workers; so there may be great
differences among us. But when we focus
on a common task, the successes can be monumental.
It’s possible to have unity
within the church … only if we give up on uniformity.
Unity is a Godly goal achieved when we
are of one mind, purpose, mission, and goal.
Generally, we Christians have one Spirit, the Spirit of God.
We have a single purpose, to glorify
God. We have one mission, to spread the
good news about Jesus Christ. Our
earthly goal is to live like Jesus - whose love is inclusive.
It’s our quest for uniformity that tends to divide us.
Uniformity requires belief in the same things practiced the
same way. Despite this unity, there’s no
uniformity whatsoever on how to do these things, what it looks like, or where
and when to do them. There should be
room among us for all kinds of Christians.
This sort of inclusive, loving unity goes a long way in glorifying God.
God of love, whose grace sustains us, help others feel that same love, even
if it’s been revealed to them in different ways. Give all those of faith a special place in
your heart, demonstrated by the compassion of Your Son as an example for
us. Amen
