The New Humanity

In my life I have experienced comfort and have gone to great lengths to keep that comfort. Whether it is avoiding people so that I can have more time with friends of family. Or if it is selfishly thinking of myself first instead of putting others in front of me. I will at times go to extreme ends to keep myself from feeling discomfort.

There were also times when I would use Christianity as a barrier to other people. Thinking that I was more holy or that others had no hope helped build up these walls of comfort for myself. This is something that I am ashamed of and wish that I had not done, but the past is past. Now I am looking onto the future and how I can tear down these walls.

Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians talked about these religious walls as well. He stated, "In Christ Jesus you who were once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us... that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross." (Ephesians 2:13-16)

Paul hit it right on the head, through Christ's death on the cross the walls have been torn down. We, as Christians, are called to show love, not hate. We are called to be caring not careless. We are called to build friendships not enemies.

Are you doing this? James Harnish in his book "Radical Renovation" states it pretty well, I think. "The walls can come down, and a new humanity can be born." (Harnish, pg. 43).

Are you helping a new humanity come to this earth? If not, what walls need to be broken down so that we can help carry out the mission of the cross?