Many Nations, Under God

One of my favorite events in this world are the Olympics.  There is just something about the notion of people coming from all over the world to celebrate, to put differences aside, and to seek excellence.  I realize that having the Olympics does not mean the world is at peace, or that the athletes have figured out a way to get along with people from other parts of the globe.  Nevertheless, when I view such things as the Opening Ceremony, considering what an accomplishment it is for all these nations to want to gather together and display their strengths in a non-aggressive manner, I cannot help but feel a sense of pride towards humanity in general.

I had this same feeling at my college, where we recently celebrated International Awareness Week.  The activities involved the International Food Festival, featuring dishes from most of the countries represented on campus, the Missions Fair for global mission organizations to speak with interested students, and, my personal favorite, the International Flag Ceremony.  For this event, representatives dressed in their traditional garb and lifted their countries' flags high as they paraded down the aisles of the cathedral.  Even though I'm not a very emotional person, I felt tears welling up as I witnessed this.  (This was not helped by the fact that Chariots of Fire was playing on the speakers.)

I attend a Christian college, and the joy I felt as I watched the procession stemmed from the unity all nations can have through Christ.  Each person carrying their flag waved it proudly, and the whole crowd of onlookers celebrated their culture with them, if only for a moment.  The ceremony lasted several minutes (we have quite a few countries represented on campus) and by the end, the stage was lined with bright and colorful flags.  The beauty of Christianity is that it is for all people and all cultures.  As can be seen through the Old Testament, New Testament and incarnation of Christ, God works through our culture to speak to us.  This idea is particularly important when applied to mission-work.  In the past, it was a common mistake for missionaries to try and impose their own culture on those they were serving, rather than, like Christ, humbly entering into a new culture to speak to the people in ways they can understand.  It can be applied to all acts of servitude, not just those in other parts of the world, that we need to be able to celebrate the things that make us unique, being characterized by humility as we seek excellence in this life.