Tea & Ink

Since January, I've been part of a writing group that meets every other Sunday. We usually have a short "lesson" on a different aspect of writing and a short time to write and share in small groups. It's through my church, so the topics tend to be spiritual. I feel pretty good about what I wrote yesterday (which says something about some of my works from previous weeks), so I thought I'd share it here.

A little background on the writing: the topic was humor, as in using humor to write about serious topics; we were given a piece of paper with a topic and verse as our starting point.

Topic: Oneness
Verse: Philippians 2:2 Then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.

Wine or grape juice
Sprinkle or full-immersion
Armenian or Calvinist

I can label myself and you. We can put each other into boxes. And even though we claim the same Savior, we do not act as One. But it's okay, because I'm One with the others in my box, aren't I? Oh, wait, I just found out that one person who I thought was in my box has read all of Tim LaHaye's books...and liked them.

What is Oneness, then? If it is not having the same preferences, theological leanings, and beliefs about how to school our children, what is Oneness? How could I possibly consider myself One with a person who believes it is okay to ordain a homosexual woman? Since I don't know them or their faith personally, can I write them off as a non-believer? What if I know the person? And like them? What if I know the person, like them, and believe they are a Christian, and yet they still have these beliefs? Can we still be One?

Or maybe it's not a question of "Can we be One?" at all. Maybe it's that God has already made us One. And as much as we may want to deny it, we are One with Pat Robertson and Jesse Jackson and Donald Miller. Even if we think his books are overhyped and only vaguely spiritual. Because actually, if I was only One with the people I agree with on absolutely everything, I would only be One with myself.