All in on “All”

As we think about diversity, on our campus and in our world, perhaps there is no more important word to study in the scriptures than a simple 3 letter word: all. All is diversity. Diversity is not about just some, it cannot be exclusive in any way. It’s inclusive. It’s a celebration of what it means to be human. Diversity is all about all.

All is all over the scriptures. In the Old and New Testaments, we see a God who desires all to know Him. When God gives his promise to Abraham in Genesis he is told that his offspring will bless all people. The Psalms are full of prayers and poems longing for all to know God.

We see “all” in the Great Commission as Jesus tells us to go to “all nations”. Jesus gives us a geography lesson in the book of Acts when He calls us to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth. We also see “all” in the Great Commandment as Jesus tells us that a part of the most important commandment is to love our neighbor. If you are not sure what Jesus meant by neighbor, you can check out the parable of the Good Samaritan. Neighbor is “all,” even if that neighbor is a Samaritan. John 3:16 reminds us- God loves the whole world!

Jesus was born into a divisive and diverse time. There were Jews and Gentiles. There were Romans and non-citizens of the empire. There were slaves and free people. Into that world, the Word Incarnate brought the controversial and counter-cultural message of “all”. The shepherds got to hear the Angels proclaim it on that first Christmas Day, Jesus came for all people! Jesus loves all people. Jesus died and rose again for all people. And He wants all people to believe in Him as Lord and Savior! Jesus gave all so that all people of every nation, every tribe and every tongue may know Him.

I will never forget visiting the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles as a college student. After walking the displays and learning more about things like the Holocaust and the American Civil Rights movement, we gathered as a group to process the experience. Our guide then posed a question that I have been processing ever since: “Does God see skin color?”

No, I thought, God sees the heart, He doesn’t see skin color. While my “Sunday School answer” was technically correct, the guide continued and completely changed my world view, “If God doesn’t see skin color, why did he create so much diversity in skin color? Perhaps God loves diversity.”

And if God loves diversity, shouldn’t we? What a beautiful world God has created! Over 8 billion people who are all different and yet part of the same human race. And most importantly all are loved unconditionally and eternally by Jesus- who wants All to know Him!

At Concordia Texas, we are blessed with great diversity- and a great mission field! Many of our students do not yet know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior- and they get to hear about him daily through classes and worship experiences. As we re-design our chapel worship space, my family is honored to sponsor a chair in the chapel. The name plate on that chair will simply say, “That All May Know Him”. It is our hope and prayer that one of our diverse students will at some point sit in that chair, hear the Gospel and connect to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior! We are all in!