pretending

Thursday June 12^th, 1 Corinthians 12:  12 The body of Christ has many different parts, just as any other body does. 13 Some of us are Jews, and others are Gentiles. Some of us are slaves, and others are free. But God's Spirit baptized each of us and made us part of the body of Christ. Now we each drink from that same Spirit.  In Paul’s world, where people were made up of Jews or Gentiles, slaves and free, and in other places he includes, male and female, Paul sees the body of Christ made up of all these groups.  What groups do you suppose would be included if Paul were to address us today.  There are over 90 languages spoken in the Anchorage School system.  For Paul would the Body of Christ include 43 of them?  57? 67? Or all?  How about in your community?  How about your church?  Where do we draw the line for inclusion, or perhaps more importantly, how do we draw the lines if exclusion?  What languages, styles of music, and customs does your church use to subtly exclude others?  How about the hot button issue of sexual orientation, do you support a community that practices exclusion while pretending to worship the God of inclusion?  It is an examination worth pursuing.