The Beauty in Dissimilarities

This past Friday’s daily text was 1 Corinthians 12:12 – “The body is one but has many members”. We are all different. We all have a distinct height, weight, skin color, and personalities. And especially because of the fact that someone else’s personality may differ from ours, we may be inclined to focus on their weaknesses rather than on their strengths.

The comment of “the faithful and discreet slave” (Matthew 24:45-47) gives the illustration of a camera. It is as if one has a camera with a lens to focus only on a small area, seeing only a small part of that person. But Jehovah sees the whole person, including all of the individual’s good qualities. He gave an awesome example with King Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 19:2,3).

It may be difficult when someone’s personality may greatly be different from ours. And it could be that one may even use that as an excuse. “Oh, we don’t get along because we have a difference of personality.” And that may be why one just says their ‘hello’ and moves on. A district overseer once mentioned in a talk a wonderful point regarding this. He said how the reality of the situation is that there are going to be differences in personalities. No doubt. But, he continued, that the fact also is that a new personality, the one that replaced our old personality while we were learning about Jehovah, cannot be in conflict with another new personality (Ephesians 20-24; Colossians 9:10). Hebrews 4:12 also states how the Word of God is powerful enough to change one’s life for the better, helping us take off and destroying that old personality. If one is set on that they cannot get along with someone, the question is: “Ok, then what has the Word of God done for you in your life?”

Yes, we will not always agree and see eye to eye on something, but there cannot be a conflict between two new personalities. Two new personalities, even if they are different, will find a way to put aside those differences and remember that we are all brothers and sisters on the same side and that we need each other. Besides, there is beauty in differences. It’s like seeing a field of flowers of a great diversity. How beautiful! How boring if they were all the same. There is no one that we do not need. Some are happier, some are more serious. Some talk too much, some don’t talk at all. That is beautiful in Jehovah’s eyes, and it should always be in ours too. That is why the apostle Paul wrote under inspiration those words to the Christians in Corinth, that the body (the congregation) has many members (different kinds of brothers and sisters), and that we need each other.

The context of the daily text, in verses 14-26 shows us how we all need each other. It would be ridiculous if one picked up a saw and said, “You know what, I don’t like my pinky finger. It’s so small and kinda in the way”. And so this disturbed individual proceeds to cut off his pinky. How would he react? Pain and tears will follow thereafter. ‘If one suffers, we all suffer. If one is glorified, we all rejoice’ says the 26th verse. We all need each other. Especially in light of what Hebrews 10:24, 25 says: “And let us consider one another to incite to love and fine works, […] encouraging one another, and all the more so as you behold the day drawing near.”