Disparate deserts

“Would you like a pop?” “Yes, I like my Pop.” “No, I mean a soda.” “A soda? Do you mean a coke?” “Yes, a coke.” I knew at this moment I was in a strange land. My suspicions were confirmed when asked, “What is a grit?” Ohio is in the United States but it might as well have been in Nigeria. I did not understand the colloquialisms and they could not understand my accent. We lived in the same country but did not share a common language. They spoke English but not Southern and thus began my education. Everybody must be from somewhere. I hailed from the land of grits, hash browns, vacuum cleaners, the shag, sweet tea and Coke. My Ohio friends favored home fries, corn, sweepers, the polka, hot tea and pop. It appears, like politics, all language is local and the twain takes time to meet. I didn’t even ask if there was a Bar-b-que joint. I just ate the home fries and repeated, “yes, we do have indoor plumbing.” Somewhere, anywhere, everywhere possesses its own patois. I don’t eat patois but apparently, I speak it. Survival in this strange land demanded I learn the language though I never intended to use it. I decided to view it as entertainment while I clung to my heritage and salivated for bar-b-que. There is one thing I did learn in Ohio. Those people are good Christian folk and we shared the Christian language. They embraced me with their home fries and hot tea as much as with their love, friendship and genuine interest in my well-being. The years and distance have not separated me from their love, though I never craved home fries. Christians share a common life, a language for living and loving. We travel from our disparate deserts and meet at the foot of the Cross. It is here our differences and mores pale against the power of Christ’s sacrifice. At the Cross, we cannot judge our differences, only embrace our likeness. “For it is written: ‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God’” (Romans 14:11). Later in chapter 14, Paul writes, “for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men. Therefore, let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another” (Romans 14:17-19). We may never find common ground through culture, politics or patois, but as Christians, we come together to edify each other in the common language of faith. We must remember amongst true men of God there can be no conflict, only a genuine pursuit of the things acceptable to God. “Would you like a pop?” “Yes Pop, a coke, please.” “Those who have ears to hear, let them hear” (Matthew 11:15).