Tomorrow, America celebrates it Independence day and as I thought about the topic to write, I was reminded of ‘e pluribus unum‘, something I learned in my American History class at the University of Oklahoma. The Latin phrase, ‘e pluribus unum‘ which literally means ‘Out of many, One‘, is found on the United States seal in commemoration of the fact that out of the many (13 original) American colonies, there really was only ‘One United States’. This was the de facto motto of the United States until the mid 1900s, when it was replaced by ‘In God We Trust’.
Both mottos of the United States have a lot in parallel to our spiritual heritage as we can find in the Bible. As Christians, we are indeed called ‘Out of Many, to be One’. We may be many, but we are all One – the Body of Jesus Christ. Just as God the Father, Jesus the Son of God and God the Holy Spirit are out of many (3) personalities, One person, One God, so also we are called to be One with Jesus, grafted into the vine (Jesus Christ), irrespective of whether we are gentile or Jew, Indian or American or anything else that defines us. Jesus is the vine (one) and we are the branches (many) and when we remain in the vine, we are One with Him. Our pride and petty differences that separate us from one another should become insignificant when we humble ourselves and forgive one another.
Point(s) to ponder:
Let us Trust in God to rectify relationships that need rectifying, and to give us a heart of humility and compassion (as Jesus had) so that we can truly tell that as Christians (followers of Jesus Christ), we are truly e pluribus unum, Out of Many, One.
Ephesians 4:3-6 (KJV)
4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;|
5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
