SPOTS, COLORS AND SUCH

The ring-necked Dove has a …yep, a ring of dark feathers around half their neck. The Bobcat has a bobbed off tail. The Great Blue Heron is a bluish color… yep; it’s blue just like the Blue Whale the largest animal known to have ever existed and also blue like the Blue Jay. The Mule Deer has ears that are large and shaped like a Mule’s. Rhode Island Red chickens are red. The Sword Fish has a snout like a sword. So many things in the animal kingdom are identified by how they look, what they do or how they act. Jeremiah asks, “Can a leopard change it’s spots?” Or can a spotted Owl for that matter?

It is interesting that in the Kingdom of God none of the outward traits, words, slogans, religious clothing, religious buildings or religious organizations are supposed to identify the Kingdom. Only the heart of an individual born from above can display and behave in Kingdom likeness. All the other efforts and exterior signs, symbols, bells, whistles and smoke and such are just that… smoke and such. The only identity is the interior love from a changed heart and mind. No ringtails, no spots, no long horn, no big robe, no big title, no Mule ears, no big crucifixes, no big tassels, and no big collars … we are supposed to be nothing but Christians. Now where the problem lies is when we actually can identify which ‘kind of Christian’ we are by our spots, our vivid colors, our dress, our distinctive sounds, our habits, our long snouts, our stripes, our doctrines, our bobtails, our collars, or robes, our buildings, our liturgies, whatever… It can’t be right. Perhaps we are supposed to only be known by our love.

“By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Jesus