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.”

“This is what the love of God means”

Today’s “Daily Text” was on 1 John 5:3 that reads in part: “This is what the love of God means, that we observe his commandments”. The comment from the “faithful and discreet slave” (Matthew 24:45-47) gives an example of this. Under the Mosaic Law, Hebrews that were slaves were set free at a certain time. But according to Exodus 21:5,6 such slave could say, “You know what, I don’t want to be set free”. What could possibly compel someone to do that? For love. If his master had been considerate with him, which was law, he could remain under his authority. That is also what compels us to dedicate our lives to Jehovah and live in accordance with that dedication. The apostle Paul wrote under inspiration in his letter to the Christians in Rome: “None of us, in fact, lives with regard to himself only, and no one dies with regard to himself only; for both if we live, we live to Jehovah, and if we die, we die to Jehovah. Therefore both if we live and if we die, we belong to Jehovah.” BEAUTIFUL WORDS! That type of love does not look for its own interests (1 Corinthians 13:4,5). And so when we deal with others, our love of divine principles as well as love for our neighbor compels us to ‘consider them superior to us’, putting their interest ahead of our own (Philippians 2:2,3).

The rest of the scripture brings another point. The latter part of 1 John 5:3 reads: “And yet, his commandments are not burdensome”. This one circuit overseer brought out an interesting point on this scripture. He mentioned how we Jehovah’s Witnesses are busy people. We have five meetings in two days (Hebrews 10:24,25), which we have to prepare for; we deepen our understanding of the Holy Scriptures with a personal study (Ecclesiastes 7:12), if one has a family, a Family Worship Night is held weekly (Deuteronomy 6:6-9), which one also has to prepare for, we have our daily reading of the Bible (Psalm 1:1-3), we have three new magazines every month to read before we present them to the public (Philippians 4:8), we dedicate a certain amount of hours per week to preach the “good news”, cultivate interest by returning to the householder, and conduct home Bible studies, which we also have to prepare for (Matthew 24:14; 28:19,20), we dedicate time to offer heartfelt prayer to Jehovah to strengthen our faith (Luke 18:1-8), we dedicate time to visit our brothers and those who are ill and elderly (Galatians 6:10; James 1:27), and those who serve as overseers have other responsibilities as well as these mentioned (Acts 20:28).

The brother (mentioned above) said that one may think, “Well we have a lot to do!” And yes, we do. And to some it may seem like it’s too much, that it is ‘burdensome’. But the brother reminded us of what 1 John 5:3 says, that “his commandments are not burdensome”. He then continued, “Do you know what is burdensome? Neglecting such things. If we procrastinate, leave things for the last minute, or simply neglecting our study, preparation, etcetera, we will feel burdened. But if we have a theocratic schedule, which many do, these things bring so much satisfaction! Jehovah never gives us what we cannot accomplish. These activities invigorate our lives. By the end of the day, we probably will feel tired and exhausted, but with a gratification that NOTHING else can give us. A satisfaction that we accomplished something, and something that is worth the effort, for we strengthened our relationship with our Creator, proving the inspired words of the apostle John; and that we have pleased him. And that fact alone is worth the world.