Belonging

I recently came across a survey about belonging in our nation. I think we can all agree that belonging is important and that is why the results from this report came to me as troublesome. This report comes from Over Zero and the Center for Inclusion and Belonging at the American Immigration Council. Here is a quote from the report: “Sixty-four percent of Americans reported non-belonging in the workplace, 67% in the nation, and 74% in their local community. Further, 17% of Americans did not report experiencing belonging in any of the life settings that we measured, and a very small subset (0.6%) reported experiencing exclusion in all life settings.” The report also showed that about 60% of Americans did have a sense of belonging among family or friend groups. While that sounds good, to think that 40% of people don’t have a close tie to family or friends is also discouraging.

I believe the desire to want to belong to something is a significant part of who we are as people, no matter what nation we live in. That sense of being a part of something gives us purpose and identity. When our communities grow we then have the ability to be more diverse and when we diversify who is included, who belongs we then have a greater ability to welcome those who may be different. In fact the survey pointed out that being different was a significant factor as to why people were not being included. Being different ranged from gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, partisan affiliation and so on. Essentially all the ways we have labeled people and pushed them aside for it, has caused them to feel this sense of isolation and lack of belonging. When we do that we contribute to those numbers going up all the time. People get faced with rejection and isolation all the time, we, as a nation, need to do better at reducing that number not adding to it.

That is why I have always felt that Pentecost is a day not only to celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit into our lives, but it is also a day of inclusion. The whole reason that there were pious Jews from every nation in Jerusalem at this time is that they had gathered for Shavuot which is a major Jewish holiday commemorating the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. Now scripture tells us that there were people from every nation. If someone had told you that there were people from everywhere you would probably take them at their word and be impressed. However, Luke, our author doesn’t feel that just telling us all the nations were there was good enough. He doubles down by telling us that every nation was there and then goes on a few verses later to list out all the nations and languages that were being spoken and heard. While I said that we would believe someone and be impressed if we were told there were people from every nation, think about how much more of an impact it has to actually hear all the nations specifically mentioned.

Now think about either being there that first Pentecost or hearing this telling of the day of Pentecost and you hear that your nation was specifically mentioned. There is a shift that takes place inside a person. To go from: oh cool, every nation was there…to…hey they just said my nation and they were speaking in my language. Maybe this is a bad analogy but think about how excited most people get when they see themselves on the jumbotron at sporting events. It’s that moment of, “oh hey, that’s me!” That is what God is doing in this moment. It’s not just that everyone was included, though that is a profound statement, but that YOU are included.

That is the way that we should be as a community of faith. We should be using Pentecost as THE example for how to include others into this body of faith. It’s not enough to assume they feel a sense of belonging, we need to tell them they belong. We need to do that because we are in worship for about an hour each week. If you come to or are part of other groups in the church add a few more hours. There are 168 hours in a week. Let’s say we’re awake for half of those since we do need sleep, that means there are 84 hours. Subtract 84 from the hours that we are in fellowship with each other, that leaves a whole lot of hours left. Now some of those hours may be filled with things like the survey says: work, community, nation, family and friends, but many may not. There may be lots of hours that we feel that sense of isolation or even exclusion because we lack those groups or those are the very groups that for whatever reason cause us to not feel connected.

Belonging is important. That is why God has, throughout the Bible, shown us all the ways that God has continually tried to be in relationship with us. God know how important community is. God knows how important relationships are. God knows how important it is to feel a sense of belonging. That is why God is community. God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God never wanted us to feel alone or isolated, God never wanted 2/3 of a nation to not feel connected in at least one part of their lives. In fact, that is what is so beautiful about the early Christian church. They were in community with each other as much as they could.

This sense of belonging and community is also reflected in our Philippians passage. Paul encourages the Philippians to be gentle with all people. This is a call to treat all people with grace and love. And note here that Paul calls them to do this to all people, not just to one another. It’s easy or easier to be kind and loving to our own groups, but Paul tells them to be that way with everyone. Extend the same kind of loving-kindness that you share with each other to everyone you meet. In other words, be that way with people who are from different communities, different nations, ethnicities, genders, political party, socioeconomic status, etc. Treat the world equally because we know how much grace, love, and forgiveness has been extended to us by God. We know how much God did and continues to do in this world to bring about this sense of belonging…to remind us that we all are God’s children. And if we are all God’s children then we are all a part of the one and the same family. A family that doesn’t know national boundaries, a family that doesn’t speak the same languages, a family that doesn’t all look the same or act the same, but despite all our differences we are a part of the most diverse and unique family ever known. And we are better for it, and we are blessed for it, for God is the Father of all, who loves us all, cares for us all, forgives us all, and embraces us all as God’s children. For this love and for this radical inclusivity we are blessed beyond measure. May this inclusivity give you peace, and may the peace of God which does exceed all our human understanding keep our herats and our minds, our whole selves, safe in Christ Jesus. Amen.