Where Are You From?

Colossians 1:13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. 19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

In a land where not many people are from, the question is often asked: “Where are you from?”

It makes perfect sense to ask the question, and as more than just a conversation starter, (though it is often used in that regard.) Where a person is from has a lot to do with where they are now, and it also has a lot to do with how they are now.

Our church, for example, is filled with people from all over the United States, (and even some foreign locations on occasion.) I have observed some notable differences in how people from New York City may respond to a question, as opposed to how people from Alabama may answer that same question. Example: “What’s your favorite food?”

And you know it is more than just the sound of the voice. (The New York ‘thang’ and the Alabama ‘twang.’) It has to do with perspective and upbringing. Where you are from has everything to do with how you are who you are. Someone who grew up in a concrete jungle has an entirely different view of life than someone who grew up on a dairy farm. In part, this explains some of the deep divides which exist presently in our country, and why one group is pitted against another. They simply have a different perspective.

What if the answer to the question of “Where are you from?” was, “I am from Jesus.”? What kind of difference would that make? Well, we see the difference it makes, and probably more so in the church than anywhere else. The church is the one place the kind of differences the world focuses upon as identifiers can be set aside, and the reason is again: perspective.

You see, once I know I am from Christ, where I am from on earth matters a whole lot less. I don’t see the kind of differences I used to see because what I have in common with someone else who is also from Christ matters a lot more than their human birth location - even though that may color the sound of their voice and how they view political and social events. Because once you know you are from Christ, (created by Him,) and for Christ, (created for His pleasure,) you share the love of and for Christ which overcomes human heritage.

-  Pastor Bill