The Sea of Sameness
*this Blog is real but the names are fictitious*
While attending a weekend basketball tournament with our youngest son, we realized we had about a 4 hour gap of time between the first and second game. We weren’t about to waste time sitting around the gym so we agreed to go to a nearby restaurant for lunch. Before leaving the gym, Nick, a parent of one of our son’s teammates invited us to their home following lunch. He told us he didn’t live too far away and we were more than welcome to come and relax until the second game. He gave us his address.
At first we were a bit hesitant because we didn’t want to impose and we almost declined but he encouraged us to stop by. As we finished lunch, we decided to visit and it would give us a more comfortable place to relax instead of sitting in the restaurant all that time. Prior to Nick’s invitation, we had spoken only briefly during the games and were always cordial. We remarked about how gifted our boys were and observed how well they played together on the court.
When we arrived at Nick’s house, we were greeted by him and his wife Mindy and they seemed happy to see us. We immediately felt a sense of belonging and being welcomed into their home. As couples often do, the wives broke off to one area of the home and the husbands to another, engaging in separate conversations only to return for a group conversation. Our sons were off in a separate room and ended up watching a movie.
Nick and Mindy’s hospitality was so warm and their conversation so genuine. Those few hours felt like a few minutes. We were so wrapped up in conversation that time got away. Our visit to their home was no accident. We believe it was purposed and allowed by God. We discovered similarities insofar as habits, behaviors, likes and dislikes. We connected on a parent level and a marriage level trading similar stories insofar as raising teenage boys. Most importantly we understood that we were a family of believers in Jesus Christ and we walked away feeling that we landed on common ground with a couple with whom we would like to hang out with in the future.
The current state of world affairs is rooted in divisive tactics driven by desire to gain political points, power and to push a false narrative of an “us against them” culture where differences are amplified and similarities muted. We reject such narrative and choose to believe that God desires us to push beyond our unconscious bias to reach out, develop and strengthen relationships with others regardless of background, outward appearance or our preconceived notions. Proverbs 14:15 tells us, “Only simpletons believe everything they’re told! The prudent carefully consider their steps.” (NLT)After all, if we can’t agree on anything else, we should find agreement in understanding the book of Acts 15:11 which says, “We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.” On yesterday, we were led to step out on faith and found ourselves wading in the sea of sameness with another couple. We encourage you to seize the opportunity to do the same as the Spirit leads and hope you walk away feeling just as blessed.