On a recent leadership retreat, we spent two hours discussing diversity. To be honest, I did not want to have the discussion. It just seems that this conversation occurs repeatedly in the multiple departments I am involved with on campus. It’s not a bad conversation; in fact, I would say it is very necessary. It’s good that Biola is talking about diversity, but I guess I was against it because I assume that it is always going to be the same thing. The same people are going to have their same differing opinions and nobody is going to suggest anything tangible to do about it.

Even though I didn’t want to have the diversity conversation on that particular day, God really did lay something on my heart.

Focus on prayer

That something was prayer.

I realized just how much we talk about diversity, and even have chapels, lectures, and conferences devoted to it, but rarely spend time actually praying about it. As I looked into my own heart, I realized this to be true. Yes, I want to see the walls and barriers that exist on our campus, both those conscious and unconscious, come crashing down. Yes, I want unity, but how badly do I want it if I’m not even praying for it?

The reality is that we can’t expect Biola to change overnight. We have over 4,500 students in over 4,500 places spiritually. I firmly believe that true change must come from within and it must be a work of God because God can soften even the hardest heart.
Therefore, let’s not get bent out of shape when people react critically or negatively when we strive towards emulating the diversity of the Kingdom. Remember just how bent out of shape the Jewish Christians were at the thought of sharing their Messiah with the Gentiles?

We need to trust God to work in people’s hearts and we need to pray that our peers and ourselves have the eyes of God when it comes to seeing our brothers and sisters.
I’m committed to praying for this. Are you?