WEEKLY WORD
“You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will thank you because I am marvelously made.” Psalm 139
My brain is on leave this week, so let me just share a thought or two.
I had a DNA test done about a month ago. The results were interesting, but not life-changing. The test uncovered my family history. And a complicated history it is.
61.8% British and Irish
15.5% Broadly Northwestern European
11.4% Scandinavian
9.6% French and German
1.4% Spanish
0.2% Finnish
I also have 268 genetic variants that can be traced back to Neanderthals. That explains a lot. I guess Felicia was right all along.
According to the test I am not a carrier of any diseases, but the results showed:
*That I am less likely to be able to match a musical pitch.
*That I am more likely to have hair loss.
*That I am less likely to have a fear of public speaking.
What really struck me is this. All of that co-mingled blood runs through my body. All of those different nationalities and tribal groups are a part of me. They co-exist; more than that they are one now, working to keep me alive. It matters not where they came from, or what violence and oppression are a part of their histories.
Could we learn from this? Is this God’s way? A blended diversity, co-mingled and beautiful. No pure blood, no flags, no walls, no borders, no skin color; just human beings, children of God. We were knit together in our mother’s womb and yet, in the end, we are dust and to dust we shall return.
What we see is only skin deep but, if we look at the DNA, we find another story. A human story. We are more alike than we are different. When that Finnish sailor made a brief visit to our village 500 years ago, who knew that he would become a part of the family.
Human stories. Maybe science can help us to look beyond skin color, gender, class or orientation and see the beautiful mingled diversity that makes us what we are: Children of God.
See you in church.
Pastor Jim
