I recently read Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes by Kenneth E. Bailey. This book sets the story of Jesus in the local context to help explain some of the cultural story behind the story.
It didn’t take me long to realize that almost half of his descriptions are not limited to Middle Eastern life. He describes life in a rural village. I grew up in a rural village. He could have been describing all the rural villages in the area where I grew up. By extension, that must describe village life.
We all knew who the “sinners” were. We knew the “rich” people. We knew the most athletic, the most scholarly, the ones always in trouble.
In my life I’ve traveled through a great part of the US and chunks of the world. I’ve met a diversity of people.
We are more alike than we realize.
Maybe different geographies. Or languages. Or religions. Or sexual orientations. Or genders.
As we develop personal attitudes and political attitudes, we forget this at our risk.
We are also at risk as much as we forget that every human being is created in the likeness of God. We need to be praying for each other instead of killing each other.
It is ancient wisdom still true today. And will be true tomorrow. Love the Lord with all your heart, and all your strength, and all your soul, and all your mind. And, love your neighbor.
Faith Venture 
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