Tag Archive for: diversity

Tartan

We said farewell to six incredible missionaries this week.
As they depart, we gift them with a tartan tie, as a token of our appreciation and their service.
Tartan ties keep me grounded in my heritage.
There are some distinctive things about Scotland.
Its natural beauty, the highlands, castles, bagpipes, kilts, tartan, haggis, whisky, shortbread, thistles and the Loch Ness monster, Nessie!
I’m not quite certain what it is, but there is something about tartan, that so many people find interesting, the clan system and any potential ancestry connections.

Differences

It got me thinking about the many different cultures and traditions in the Belgium/Netherlands Mission.
We have a mix of missionaries from around the world, each with their own distinctive culture, language, customs, history, and practices.
Just like the many colours, lines, and patterns of a tartan tie, we are all different, all unique. Its fascinating to observe how each missionary accepts those differences about one another.
We must never forget that we live in a world of great diversity.
We just don’t accept these differences about one another, we love them, we embrace them, and they enhance our ability to work together in harmony.
As we learn more of one another, our appreciation grows.
Our mission is strengthened through 𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 and cultural 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲.
Culture, language, customs, history, and practices may make us all different. But how are we all the same?

Children of God

I may wear a tartan tie, and occasionally my kilt too, but setting aside those cultural differences, we are after all brothers and sisters, each of us a child of a loving Father in Heaven.
In his memorable speech on Mars Hill, Paul declared to the Athenians that we are the “offspring” of God. (Acts 17:28.)
The Lord Jesus Christ invites all to come unto Him, “black and white, bond and free, male and female” (2 Nephi 26:33). The Gospel of Jesus Christ unites us together as one.
Dieter F. Uchtdorf said “The Saviour loves all of God’s children regardless of their socioeconomic circumstance, race, religion, language, political orientation, nationality, or any other grouping. And so should we!”
Let’s embrace our differences!
I hope that we can gratefully acknowledge God as our creator and honour that unique heritage that unites each one of us.
What does it mean to be a child of God to you?

Being one.

Manchester, Dundee, Leeds, Newcastle, Carlisle, Torquay and even West Ham all have something in common….. do you know what it is?
The answer…
……Football teams with the word “𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝” in their title.
Historically, football teams were often amalgamated from more than one smaller club, and then became united.
United – made into or caused to act as a single entity, agreed, in harmony, when people are united, they agree about it and act together.
How united are you – at home, with your neighbours, in your community or in your workplace?
Being united, does not mean being the same.
I know that listening closely to and learning from the perspectives and experiences of others can sometimes be very uncomfortable.
Yet doing so, helps us recognise just how much we see the world as we are rather than as it is.
It may require a change in attitude, building on our many shared common interests, but we must learn to appreciate the differences in others.
Our differences enhance our ability to work together in harmony to accomplish the most difficult of challenges.

Being United…

I have learned that we must constantly work hard at creating unity in diversity.
Working to achieve your goals all alone can be difficult, frequently you need the support of people around you to help – that is what diversity and unity is all about.
Staying united can provide us with a sense of security, support and inner strength in times of difficulty and can allow us to achieve great things.
If ever there was a time for people to stand together it is now.
There is a great power that comes as we work together with others as one.
United we stand, divided we fall.
Unity, harmony and goodwill are virtues that we can all foster in our homes, communities and business organisations. It is essential for any family, community or organisation to thrive.
J.K. Rowling said “We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.”
What can you do to build unity?