the great I AM.

We do not know God from His essence. We know Him rather from the grandeur of His creation and from His providential care for all creatures. For through these, as though they were mirrors, we may attain insight into His infinite goodness, wisdom, and power.
--St. Maximos the Confessor

i've had a thought lately that i would like to put in paragraphs, if only a few. i want to expand this, but i haven't blogged in a while so here i go.

i'm consistently baffled by the lack of diversity that plagues large portions of the Christian community, myself included. there is a constant struggle between believers over who is fit to wear the name "Christian" and who lives up to the expectations that are entailed, and so forth and so on.

my problem with this is simple. if we believe (yes, i am writing this specifically to those who are Christians) that God created humankind in God's likeness, why are we not ushering in every variety of person under the umbrella of humankind into fellowship?

we believe God is vast, God is beautiful, God is faithful... but if someone differs from us, they are unworthy of the same title we claim ourselves? it only makes sense that when God creates humankind to give a portrait of divinity itself, that God would create this portrait to encompass every hue imaginable.

so, with that said, i speak every aforementioned word to myself as a reminder of the calling i have to love my neighbor, love my enemies, and truthfully, love every single piece of creation that was brought into being in an attempt by God to show humankind the infinite nature of who God is, physically and tangibly for all time, in a way that humankind should have been able to grasp.

it is my only regret that i, as well as others i would argue, have rejected this portrait, asking instead for photographs of ourselves.

but, as always -- just a thought.