As I write my blog post during Pentecost, I realize our common ground is the Holy Spirit, via the connection He gives us to Jesus, to God and to each other. I have a diverse group of friends of differing opinions and backgrounds, fears, loves and life experiences--Christians, Jews, lawyers, pastors, writers, carpenters, workers in all fields and persuasions.
I believe the Holy Spirit in me wants the best for all these people. I want them to excel and succeed and have their best lives. I treat them with love and respect as best I can and find that they treat me in kind. There are, of course, disagreements sometimes but more often than not, we are able to work things out and come back together.
Fiddler on the Roof is one of my favorite movies. Released in 1971, it tells the story of a poor village in pre revolutionary Russia and how they must face the changes in the world while the Jewish main character, Tevye, must deal with marrying off his three beloved daughters as they come of age. I recall a story Pastor John once told that is also depicted in the movie as Tevye is on his rounds delivering milk one morning:
MORDCHA: Why should I break my head about the outside world? Let them break their own heads.
TEVYE: He’s right. As the Good Book says, “If you spit in the air, it lands in your face.”
PERCHIK: That’s nonsense. You can’t close your eyes to what’s happening in the world.
TEVYE: He’s right.
AVRAM: He’s right and he’s right? How can they both be right?
TEVYE: You know, you’re also right.
This scene makes me chuckle. I like it because it shows an example of listening to other people and hearing their values, not just their words. Their words may seem to express opposite opinions, but often after breaking down what they truly mean, we find common ground in the values behind them.
I see this happen often on Facebook. I am delighted when I see several people from the different slices of my life agree on something and I shout (quietly, to myself), "You, see! There IS common ground!" It shows me that, in the end, we are all just humans with struggles, trying to find a way to take care of ourselves, our families and our friends.
God has given us the gift of the Holy Spirit, the true common ground, not only between my friends, but also between them and Him. I am here to remind them of His link to them in times of need and joy, and to be salt and light that can bind us to each other and bring us together in Him.
Acts 2:2-12
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
Matthew 22:8-10 (NIV)
8 “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.
Matthew 5:13-14
Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Tevye meets Perchik in the circle of the village. - He's right, and he's right - they can't both be right.
This scene is longer then the excerpt above, but contains the excerpt in context.
About the Author
Mark lives in Oregon with his lovely wife, Darla and enjoys reading, writing, playing games and working to make the world a better place. He currently serves CitySalt church as a sound engineer and on the church council.