Thought for Today
Genesis 11:31 Terah took his son Abram and his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram's wife, and they went out together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan; but when they came to Haran, they settled there.
Ruth 1:22 So Naomi returned together with Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, who came back with her from the country of Moab. They came to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.
Mark 14:10 Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them.
Acts 6:5 What they said pleased the whole community, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch.
“Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are organizational frameworks which seek to promote the fair treatment and full participation of all people, particularly groups who have historically been underrepresented or subject to discrimination on the basis of identity or disability.” (en.wikipedia.org)
We seem to be a society enamored with Three Letter Acronyms. In both government and business, they have become ubiquitous. One of my client companies many years ago was so awash in them, their employees ironically complained about all the TLAs with which they had to contend.
Repeatedly, we are assaulted with them in everyday life and in the news. We encounter stories of the FBI, CIA, IRS, EPA, DEA and a multitude of others. Even many laws are referred to by their TLAs, e.g. the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). Most recently, I have encountered DEI. I had no idea it was even a TLA, until I read and heard stories about several companies who were abandoning their DEI programs.
I’m not sure which I find most offensive, the entire subject of TLAs, or the idea that governments or private bureaucracies can develop or modify our behavior through creating TLAs for programs those bureaucracies are convinced we need to implement. The whole idea that governments or private bureaucracies know more about what is better for us as individuals seems ludicrous on the surface. And, every reference I have heard or read about DEI implies just that. Does our society need to take strides to increase fair treatment and full participation of all people? Obviously! Do we need federal or private programs to accomplish fair treatment and full participation of all people? I am suspicious of both the efficiency and effectiveness of all such programs.
I am an unashamed and unabashed Christian. I have read the book and seen all the movies made about the Bible. I know that God loves all of God’s children, irrespective of ethnicity or national origin. For example, God told Abraham, “Genesis 17:5 No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations.” The father of the Hebrew people was a Chaldean. The great lawgiver, Moses, was raised in Pharaoh’s court. I know that King David’s grandfather was the son of “Ruth the Moabite,”
I have read the New Testament. I know that the gospel of John reads, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” I know that ‘everyone’ means everyone.
Jesus himself said, "Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free.” As far as my behavior, Jesus also said, “Luke 10:27 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself."
Just to make sure that I know that ‘everyone’ means everyone, Jesus also said, “Mark 3:35 Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother." Without any TLAs or programs, Jesus reminds me that I should “seek to promote the fair treatment and full participation of all people.” And, I know without any doubt or TLAs, all means all.
Stay safe, love your neighbor, trust God,
Pastor Ray