Being One

As I was tidying up around the house today and doing laundry, I found myself thinking.

Yes, this again. Thinking.

I was pondering on my new home, my new ward, new people, new opportunities, etc. As I often do, I doubted myself, and worried about how things would work out. I’m more than aware that I’m an overweight tomboy with Depression, that I’m a Democrat in a red state, that I’m a member of The Church, yet disagree with many of the current policies and culture, and that my opinionated, brutally honest soul can be a large deterrent for some. Because of these things, I hate moving. I hate having to start over, take all those social risks again, and decide, ultimately, how I want to define myself anew – will I take the route of leadership, speaking and being myself without fears, or do I take the route of being a quiet observer who attends, but doesn’t put my whole self out there, or risk offending. I’ve gone both routes, and I definitely see the pros and cons of each.

Cleaning, I began to wonder what Christ meant when He said that “If ye are not one, ye are not mine.” How can God’s people be “one,” when they are so obviously different?

The Bible tells of the apostles approaching Christ with a dilemma, not coincidentally following the telling of these same apostles arguing about which one of them would be better than the other in Heaven. The apostles told Christ of this problem – that they had seen a man casting out devils in Christ’s name, and he wasn’t even one of His apostles. Christ’s apostles had tried to stop the man, but Christ corrected them, telling them not to, stating, “He that is not against us is for us.” To me, this story begins to sum up the concept of “one.”

What makes us God’s? What makes someone a person that God would want to claim ownership of – to state, “Ye are mine”? What is this thing that we can all have in common, that we can all be “one” on, despite all of our differences?

To me, I think the answer boils down to the first and second great commandments – love of God, and love of our neighbor.

This is something that everyone can do. You can be Mormon, you can be Buddhist, you can be Muslim, you can be Baptist. You can be Republican, you can be Democrat, or you can be a Libertarian. You can like classical music, you can like Emo music, or even Spice Girls. You can be from Norway or Liberia. Everyone can love God, and everyone can love their neighbor. Love is what can make us “one.” The capacity to love is not limited to the sinless or perfect. It isn’t limited to those who follow the status quo, or fit “the mold.” Love is an action that happens with each moment, with each decision. It is a choice that can turn into a habit, which can shape a life.

The man who cast out devils in Christ’s name, who was not an apostle, had love. He was casting out devils. He cared enough about someone to do so on their behalf. He did it in the name of Christ, a sure show of faith, and likely subsequent love for God. The apostles looked down on this man, feeling that he didn’t belong, that he didn’t have the right, or place among them they felt was required. He didn’t “fit in.” But Christ taught that he did. His love put him on God’s side. God owned this man for his love, irregardless of his official status among them, or even his background or experience. Love broke any other perceived requirement to “belong.”

This comforted me, and taught me as well. Love is the motivation that counts, and frankly, it doesn’t matter who I am, or what side of me I show. So long as I am loving, I belong. So too others. If they are loving, our differences don’t matter. They can even like Spice Girls. If they have the ability to love, then we can be “one” with God.