Diversity is a good thing
Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness." Genesis 1:26 (NKJV)
Yesterday we laid the groundwork for an important connection revealed to us in the Book of Genesis. The connection was between God's nature and the marriage relationship. When the Lord created the first couple, He intended for their union to reflect Him. But how?
Take a close look at the verse above. Do you see something unusual? Can you see how God identifies Himself in the plural form by using the words "Us" and "Our"? What's going on here? What we're witnessing is an evidence of something concerning God's nature expressed more fully for us in the New Testament.
Suffice it to say that within God's own nature there are three separate and distinct persons that simultaneously exist. These three persons are revealed as Father, Son, and Spirit. Each is distinct from each other. The Father is not the Son or the Spirit, the Son is not the Father or the Spirit, and the Spirit is not the Father or the Son. They're different…there's a plurality of personality present.
What does this have to do with marriage? Just as God's nature consists of separate and distinct personalities, marriage is also based on the distinct diversity that defines men and women. There's an element of diversity in God that's mirrored in marriage. Men are separate and distinct from women and vice versa. They're different…there's a plurality of personality present.
So often, the diversity that men and women bring into a marriage winds up becoming a source of contention. Diversity is viewed as something that's essentially bad, as something that weighs down a relationship like an anchor.
How unfortunate, because despite our misconceptions, diversity doesn't have to be a bad thing. After all, God Himself is diverse…and what could be better than Him?
Think about it…
What does this passage reveal to me about God?
What does this passage reveal to me about myself?
Based on this, what changes do I need to make?
What is my prayer for today?
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Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. James 1:17 (NKJV)
Consistency breeds security. If you're an employer, you take comfort in knowing that you have consistent employees working for you. If your car needs to be fixed, you're going to take it to a mechanic who has consistently performed well. And if you're a coach, you'll probably draw up a play at the end of a tight game that puts the ball in the hands of your best and most consistent player.