Unity 101 - How Are We Different?

We are not that different you and I. You may live a continent away, two oceans on the other side of the globe but yet we are not that different.

We, as humans, have the same bones, the same 640 muscles. We, as humans, have the same skin, with our mouths and our ears in relatively the same spot. Yes, you may be taller and tanner than me. I may be able to ice skate and you never had the opportunity. You eat mango, I eat apples. I drink coffee, you drink tea. But in the end our bodies need hydration and food. We are more similar although we may look completely different.

When I quote verses from the bible my Jewish friends contend it is "my bible" but I am quoting from the old testament which is mainly "their" bible too! I hate this religion stuff - yours, mine, we are first and foremost humans, we are all God's children - Jews, Christian and Muslims, different continents, different skin and hair color, different height but one species - humans with a tremendous amount of capacity to forgive by the grace of God, and to love one another.

I have been raised to call my creator, my heavenly Father God. You may call him / her Allah, Jehovah, etc... But our human concerns are for the life of our body. You see - you and I across the continents are more alike than any other creation of God. We are both unique and exquisite in a thousand different ways. And God loves us both equally - blemishes and all.

You and I were both created in God's image. We were given freedoms. We were given reasoning power. And we were given each other to love. And yes, some days, our life's challenge is to "simply love each other". And that is exactly what we must do. First always love God and second always love our brothers, our neighbors, our "continent away friends". You my friend may live across the continent, but yet you too are my cousin no different than my cousins here on the continent of the United States. You see we all have one Father.

We have different beliefs. We have different cultures. We have different religions. But you and I were both created in God's image. We are perfect human beings, a small replica of God with the great capacity to love, cherish and protect our brothers and sisters.

Is not scientific discovery, curing disease, climbing mountains, jetting across the continents, or even rocket scientists.

Man's greatest challenge is to love.

God wrote us a clear and concise prescription: 1.) Love God 2.) Love our brothers & sisters.

[42.40] And the recompense of evil is punishment like it, but whoever forgives and amends, he shall have his reward from Allah; surely He does not love the unjust.

[3.31] Say: If you love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your faults, and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful

Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.

John 3:15

And forgive your people, who have sinned against you; forgive all the offenses they have committed against you, and cause their conquerors to show them mercy; King's 8:50

The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself...I am the LORD your God. Leviticus 19:34 Old Testament

While the many mysteries of the universe are beyond our human understanding, it IS within our human reach to achieve the simple understanding, that we are ALL God's children.

Our duty is to love God and to love our brothers and our sisters.

Feel God's love and start a daily program of devoting time to the care of your soul. We are not different, we are all made in the likeness of God. God is all around and us and wants us to be with him each day. Set aside some time today and be silent and feel God's love.