Our Differences Unify Us

They say opposites attract. Look at any strong marriage — or any kind of relationship, really — and people will be different from one another. Any strong relationship will have two people with different strengths and weaknesses.

We don’t need exact copies of ourselves. To live fully and well, we need people who demonstrate different aspects of God’s character. We need people who will teach us to step outside of our comfort zones. We need adventurous people and reflective people. We need people gifted in serving and people gifted in leading.

Our very differences unify us and allow us to come together. If every piece of a puzzle were the same, there would be no puzzle. You wouldn’t be able to fit them together to create a picture. It’s the differences that allow them to connect.

Differences don’t mean that we don’t have things in common. There are some important things we have in common as brothers and sisters in Christ. We are all different parts of the Body of Christ, but we are all part of the same Body, with the same Spirit living within us.

Isn’t that a beautiful gift? So, dear sibling, I thank God for you. I thank him for the ways you are different from me. I thank him for the love we have in common. We need each other. God created us to need each other and work together for his Kingdom. I’m so glad.

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35).

Lord, thank you for the people in my life and the love that we share. Thank you for not creating us to do life alone. Help me to love my brothers and sisters today and help us to use our differences well. Amen.

Throughout this day: Take time to acknowledge the God-given differences between you and those around you. Let them know that you appreciate the unique role they play in your life.