I was saddened this week to hear of racial tensions flaring up as a result of a black Harvard Scholar being arrested for disorderly conduct by a Cambridge, MA police sergeant. It is premature to make any judgment calls about that particular situation. I am quite sure that there has not been sufficient time for an internal investigation to be completed.

That situation stands in stark contrast to what I experienced this week at a church in Cedar Hill, TX. I taught a group of adults in a Bible class setting, while the children were absorbing the benefits of Vacation Bible School. It is one of the best executed Vacation Bible Schools I have ever seen. The entire church is committed to reaching out to the children and adults in their community. I noticed immediately that there was a good mix of races among the group this week.
The Hispanic participants in the adult class even had someone translating my lessons into Spanish each night. A number of African American Christians were present as well.

As I looked across a room that was racially diverse, I thought to myself: this is foretaste of heaven. People of different sexes, ages, and races coming together to praise God. And then a conversation with a Hispanic gentleman totally changed my perception. He told me about a church he was a part of in Colorado that embraced a bi-lingual approach to their worship experience. Lessons in English were translated into Spanish. Some of the songs they sang together during worship were sung simultaneously in both languages. The tunes were the same, but the words were different. He indicated that some people assume that would create a real mess, but that was not the case at all. He said it sounded just fine… He want on to tell me something that came as a total surprise. Over time the English speaking participants began singing the song in Spanish, and the Hispanic members in turn started singing it in English. Wow! What a commentary on unity!

I will go back to watch the closing program at VBS tonight. There will be children from at least three races participating fully. I am quite sure they will sing all of their songs in English. Seeing the children of different races in the same program is inspiring. I also will think about my Christian brothers and sisters in Colorado tonight. I will be reminded that we can get a small foretaste of what heaven is going to be like occasionally right here on Earth. It is ashamed that the Harvard Scholar in Cambridge most likely missed out on VBS this summer. Doesn’t the Scripture say something about becoming like a child?