We all live with brokenness. Our families, friends, community, state, country and world all reflect the reality of brokenness. It is important to bring conflict and differences together so they balance. God calls us to reconciliation, which means to repair, harmonize, settle and make things good again. Reconciliation breaks down the barriers created by brokenness. It is vital in our human relationships to be reconciled to those around us.

Our experience and understanding of God is not “one size fits all.” Several years ago one of my favorite seminary professors suffered the sudden death of his beloved wife of many years. He went to the student body and announced that he had lost all faith. Rather than discredit him for his loss of faith a fellow professor said, “It’s OK; we will have faith for you.”

In time the grieving professor learned from his fellow teachers and students of the gift of their faith drawing him back to God and to the people who loved him.

In 1985, our family made a vacation swing through parts of the Deep South. With our mixed race family, we experienced an “us/them” moment in several restaurants when it came time to pay for the meal. We were looked upon with disapproving eyes and asked, “Separate Checks?” Three of our four children were obviously seen as different, or “theys” and in need of a separate bill.

We live in a diverse community and world where inclusive love is always needed. If only our adversarial tendencies could be replaced by the spirit of advocacy reflected in Job 5:16, which reminds us that “the poor should have hope and injustice should shut its mouth!” This verse references those orphaned, alone and in need of compassion.

Walls of fear too often create strangers both far and near. Thomas Troeger addresses this fear in his song, “O, Praise the Gracious Power”: