Seperation, Condemnation, Revelation

We just can't help putting people into boxes - I know I do it. I think its a natural human reaction, to assign boxes or labels to people, as a kind of a shorthand to describe who we are, and who other people are in relationship to us.

For example, I am an Evangelical Christian.

Except, when we start putting people into boxes, we soon find the boxes are too big, the labels aren't closely enough defined. We start to label more and more, dividing the boxes up into smaller and smaller partitions,

I am a gently charismatic Evangelical Christian.

But even then, the labels aren't tight enough - so we define more and more.

Now, I am a gently charismatic Evangelical Christian who worships in a Baptist church, who is a church treasurer, and who writes a blog.

Pretty soon, our boxes are so small that we find ourselves pretty much on our own, or isolated with a very small number of like minded people. The problem with this is, because we have focussed on our differences, focussed on why we aren't the same as that group of people over there, we find that actually, we don't want to deal with them, we'd rather stay with the people who are like us. Perhaps if they were to change their mind and come and join us in our box we'd be okay with, but actually, until they admit they're wrong and we're right, then they can stay over there thankyou very much.

Now, I'm not saying that the things that are different are unimportant. In some cases some of the issues are massive, but, honestly, do we really think that we have a monopoly on the truth, in all things at all times... I'm sure I don't, and I'm really sorry if sometimes I come across as if I do. But ultimately, seperation is not good for us - human beings are made to live in communities, to work with other people, to share and learn and live and love together -- even those (like me) who are somewhat intraverted. Neither is it good for us to live a life in which we condemn others for holding different opinions, especially if we don't fully understand what is behind those opinions.

So maybe, instead of boxing people based on the things that are different, I should start looking to build bridges based on the things that are the same. Maybe that way I'll learn something, and of course, in those case where I am right, then its much easier to discuss, explain and convince when I'm alongside, working together with someone with whom I disagree, than it is to stand in my box and yell the truth across into someone else's...