Breaking Down Barriers – a Galatians 2 Story
Sarah had always felt like an outsider. Growing up in a small conservative town, she never quite fit in with the other kids who all seemed to share the same beliefs and values. When she moved away for college, she finally found a sense of freedom and acceptance that she had never experienced before. But that all changed when she joined a new church in the city.
At first, Sarah was excited to be a part of a community again. But as she got to know the people in the church, she realized that many of them shared the same narrow-minded perspectives as the people from her hometown. They would spout off hateful comments about certain groups of people and it made Sarah feel like she was back in her old town again.
One day, Sarah was attending a Bible study and she heard someone make a comment about how they didn’t think people from certain countries were "worthy" enough to be saved. Sarah was shocked and felt like she needed to speak up. She shared her own experience of feeling like an outsider and how it hurt her to hear such divisive comments.
To her surprise, instead of being met with defensiveness or hostility, many of the people in the group began to open up about their own prejudices and biases. They talked about how they had been taught certain things growing up and how hard it was to break free from those ingrained beliefs.
Through their vulnerability and honesty, the group was able to break down barriers and learn from each other. They realized that they all had something to gain by opening themselves up to different perspectives and experiences.
As they continued to meet and grow together, they became more and more united in their mission to love and serve others, no matter where they came from or what they looked like. They began to see that the Gospel was not just for a select few, but for all people, no matter their background or beliefs.
Galatians 2:28 became a guiding verse for the group: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." They realized that in Christ, there are no barriers or divisions. All are welcome to come and find acceptance, love, and grace.