17:21
The year 1721 was a devastating year for the people of Boston, Massachusetts. Small pox sweeps through Boston, killing 14% of the population. This could have all been avoided!
The well respected, pastor, author and community leader, Cotton Mather, was promoting the process of inoculation. The doctors and leaders of the community rejected this idea from Cotton that would have saved lives. The doctors and leaders of the community rejected Cotton's pleas to implement widespread inoculation, in large part because the idea came from Cotton's slave, Onesismus. People literally died instead of choosing to listen to Onesismus and Cotton.
In some ways, the story of Cotton and Onesismus continues today. There are many people in the majority that refuse to listen to those in the minority and their allies. This refusal to humbly listen is causing a percentage of our population to die; both naturally and spiritually.
In John chapter 17, verse 21, Jesus prays that we would be one, just like He and His Father are one so that the whole world may believe. We often call this oneness, unity. In too many places, we have celebrated unity where it has no depth. We have celebrated assimilation and shallow agreement as unity. Too many times, in too many places, including the church, the difficult work to create authentic unity has not been completed.
In order to understand unity, we have to understand what unity is not. Unity is not forcing one side to lower their voice and get in line. Unity is not ignoring the past and the effects of that past in order to move into a false future. Unity is not an acceptance of good enough because it is not as bad as it used to be.
Unity is an acknowledgement, an understanding and a plan to move forward equitably. Unity is having the difficult conversations that acknowledge the atrocities of the past and how those atrocities are impacting our present. Unity is seeking to understand things that you may have never experienced nor ever personally seen. Unity is the humility to not only have the conversations to gain understanding, but to move forward as equals.
To create authentic unity that has substance and depth is daunting. It may feel impossible. Many may say that it is impossible. These statements may all be true, however if Jesus prayed for us to accomplish it, then He will do the daunting, accomplish the impossible and prove all others wrong!
If you are a member of the majority, lets humbly listen to learn. If you are a member of the minority, please continue to graciously teach and believe. God's plan is for us to be together, so lets begin to pray for the unity that Jesus prayed for in John chapter 17!