Galatians 3:23-29
"There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
(Galatians 3:28)
What does it mean to be one in Christ? Our contemporary idea of oneness often centers around conformity which stifles individuality and limits creativity. Paul isn't calling followers of Christ in today's text to suddenly disavow that which makes them who they are, but to recognize that the uniqueness of each person is a gift from the Creator.
The gift of Jesus Christ doesn't erase the person you are. The gift of Jesus Christ transforms who you are and how you view the world. Again, Paul writes in Romans 12:2, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." I believe that God is honored in the unique way we each live out this great gift of faith. Oneness doesn't mean I think and act and believe exactly as someone else does. By God's grace, the transformation is unique and therefore, so is the practice.
The Christmas story is full of unique characters. The child in the manger draws them, and us, to a shared expression of wonder and praise...one in the bond of love.
Prayer: God of one...God of all, in my own way and in the company of others, may you be honored in the celebration of Christmas. Amen.
Jim Abernathy
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