We're Better Together (context:faith)

I am a firm believer of it: we're better together. Here are some of my thoughts as to why, in the context of Christian faith.

You see, it was in high school that the epiphany hit me: We each see the same sky, differently. Even if I am lying right next to someone, cloud-watching, we see the sky differently based on the mere fact that we are at different, albeit minutely minutely different, points on earth's surface. This was a huge revelation for me and it got even deeper as I shared this with my friend (see, we're better together). He responded "it's kind of like with God. We each see God in a different way." Yeah, we do. 

One could take this the universalism route, saying that any religion and faith practice is right for different people. I don't roll that way. But I do think that what my friend said that day rings true. 

We each have a unique story. We come from different cultures. And we are not all wired the same. 

I am reading the book of Revelations right now and was struck by how, when God was giving His words to the 7 different churches, he revealed himself in different ways. To the church experiencing persecution, God describes himself as "...the First and the Last, who died and came to life" (Rev 2:8). To the church dealing a lot with sexual sins, he reveals himself as "...He who searches hearts and minds..." (Rev. 2: 23b). To each church, it is as if God was highlighting a part of himself that He knows the people will get. Who He is relates to them; God's relevant like that. 

For those with little: Provider God. 
When surrounded by nature: Creator God. 
To the orphaned, or abandoned: Father God
Those persecuted: My Defender

And so on. God's names and attributes are all through scripture--check it out. 

These different characteristics of God may ring true for different people, with their unique stories, at different times.  And this leads me to conclude: I think we'd do better to know people different than we are, to listen to each other's stories, and to learn more of who God is. We're better together. 

In peace, Christina