In Praise of Jellybeans

Today’s object lesson starts with a pack of M & M’s. What can we learn about ourselves from a bag of colorful candies? I’ll give you a hint: Think inside, outside. Each of these candies looks different on the outside, but if you close your eyes when you eat one, could you tell what color it is? No. M & M’s may look different on the outside, but they are all the same on the inside. And, one might argue, the inside is what really counts. So, we may take this truth and congratulate ourselves that we truly understand that though we are all different on the outside, we are all God’s children and therefore, all the same on the inside.

But here’s where I’m going to throw you a curve-ball. While most churches are like a bag of M & M’s, the world out there…is more like a bag of jellybeans. My favorite flavor is buttered popcorn…and I’ll bet you’ve got a favorite as well. My point is, if you close your eyes and reach into a bag of jellybeans, you never know what you might get. Yes, a jellybean is still a jellybean, and a person is still a person and we are all equally loved by God. But we aren’t really the same, are we?

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said that the most segregated hours of the week are Sunday mornings. Let me say that again. The most segregated hours of the week are Sunday mornings. Do you think that’s still true? A 2018 Baylor University study found the percentage of multiracial congregations in the United States to be about 12%. Not overwhelming, is it? And here’s another statistic for you: around the same time, Lifeway Research found that 53% of churchgoers disagreed with the statement, “My church needs to become more ethnically diverse.” Hmmm. 88% of churches are predominately one racial/ethnic group. Why do most churchgoers see no problem with this?

Here’s what I think: there is comfort in the familiar. The desire to “find your tribe” is universal. We are drawn to people who are just like us. Let’s do some social thinking. Imagine you have just arrived at a party where you know no one. Maybe you have a new job, or you’ve just moved to a new community. You walk in, you scan the room, and then you need to make a decision about what you’re going to do next. Your brain is going to do some quick work for you, sorting through the faces in front of you: this person is relevant, this person isn’t, and the choice is made to approach the person whom your subconscious decides is most like you. This is why diversity experts talk about “fighting your filters”. They mean, choosing to interact with someone who you may not feel drawn to, or even someone who evokes a negative emotional reaction.  If we are truly to embrace diversity, we must move past our comfort zone and deliberately seek out, listen to and learn from those whose background, ideas and values are different from our own. 

How does this play out in our faith journey? What’s wrong with choosing a church where we feel most comfortable, with brothers and sisters who look and think like we do? There are advantages to ethnically homogeneous churches; for example, feeling like part of the family from day #1. We find that God is present in the traditions and practices that we grew up with, or where we first found God. So why change at all? Why risk upsetting the apple cart to reach out to others whose ideas, values and history are different from our own?

At St. Matthias, we have faced down this question and come to some answers. First, there is a Biblical basis for diversity. The entire life of Jesus is a shining example of standing with those who are different. Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners. He entered the homes of those whom the religious leaders of the day believed were unworthy. He commanded His followers to “make disciples of ALL NATIONS.” He shook up the church of His day, and He challenges us today to step outside of a church that exists primarily for ourselves and reach out to a world in pain and welcome ALL who come to our table.

We pay a price for remaining in our comfort zone, and that price is stagnation. There is a connection between the thoughts in our heads and the people who surround us. If you map out your daily footpath, you’ll probably notice that you travel the same roads, interact with the same people, do many of the same activities over and over. When our networks are fundamentally predictable, we say we are “in a rut.” Where do new ideas come from? I read a study somewhere that concluded that when scientists work with other scientists who were ethnically different from themselves — from another country or socioeconomic background, the science was better. There were more “breakthrough moments”, the papers were quoted more often in scientific journals (which, I am told, means the science is more highly respected)…in other words, better ideas come from a mix of perspectives.

Diversity isn’t something that happens naturally, as history clearly shows, but that is what it means to be the LIVING, BREATHING BODY OF CHRIST. As a Reconciling in Christ congregation in the ELCA, we specifically welcome persons of color, LGBTQ+ persons, and all who may feel marginalized and distrustful of organized religion. Being a RIC congregation does not mean agreeing with everyone all the time and it’s not about having all the answers. It’s about supporting the journey of others and trusting in the Holy Spirit to use our faith community to speak to others in any way He chooses. 

“We are St. Matthias Evangelical Lutheran Church. We are loved by God. We are family of God. We are caring for the world so that all will know Christ’s peace. We come from a diversity of traditions. We embrace all races, all abilities, all socioeconomic statuses, all sexual orientations and gender identities as expressions of God’s great diversity in this world. We encourage questions. Together we seek God’s guidance. We welcome you to the family of God.”