Relationships

One of my all time favorite pictures is this one taken in Mexico of 2 of our granddaughters and two children that lived in the same village in Mexico.  Our daughter and her husband are missionaries and some years back  they and their children lived in this village for some time.  Our granddaughters spoke English, of course, and knew a smattering of Spanish and a few words in the vernacular of the little village.  The 2 Mexican children knew there language but probably did not have a grasp of any other language.  However, that didn't keep those 4 from being friends.  They played together without a common language.  There facial expressions and motions made up for what they lacked in talking in the same language.  And sometimes our 2 granddaughters would try to communicate and they used words from several different languages in one sentence.  They tried desperately to communicate and had fun doing it. 
Wilmer and I have done a lot of traveling and some has been in countries who spoke a different language than we did.  It is not easy but usually some kind of communication happens.  I will admit it is a little tricky when trying to purchase goods and doing some bartering and not totally understanding what the selling price actually is.  Good they usually all understand basic American money.
It seems to me that we are forgetting the basics of relationships.  The children pictured above started from the premise that they were going to "communicate".  Probably because they had few options to play with others but nonetheless they started thinking from the point that they had more similarities than differences.  Yes they had different skin and different languages but "we are going to make this work."  I believe they had a mutual respect for one another and that made the whole difference.  This lack of understanding or respect is evident in society.  I talk to many people who are patients in the hospital where I work as a Chaplain, the stories I hear of families that are reeling from family issues or other relational issues that are devastating them are heart breaking.  Relationships are difficult.    I sometimes wish we could go back as little children and learn the simple way they have of relating to others.  But, as adults, we do have a solid basis of instruction to guide us and that is the Bible.  In Galatians 3: 26-28 we read   "You are all sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ".  I think that pretty well includes all of us.  The ground at the foot of the cross is level. As a female ordained pastor I sometimes feel something less than a cordial welcome  when approaching a  certain circle of people.  And that is perfectly okay with me.  We all have our differences and interpret scripture differently.  This is not a matter that causes any less respect for those who think differently. God  looks on each one of us as being equal!  Now if only we could get that idea to permeate our hearts so that we could live like that what a difference it would make in the world.  Our lives would reflect God's love and radiate it to all the world.  The difference would be so great that others would ask what our secret to happiness is. 
In my book "I've Always Been Rich" I did not portray a family that was perfect but I did try to make it clear that to be in a relationship with Christ does make our earthly walk much more joyful.  And it will assure us of  an eternal fellowship with our Lord.
Marilyn Rensink   email  mjrevmom6@aol.com   Find the book at any local bookstore.