Do you see in red or blue?

Once again the marvellous Steve Tinning blessed us all with a really creative communion service at the Eastern Baptist Association ministers' conference.

As we entered, we were all given glasses to wear - some red, some blue. During the service various prayers and Bible verses flashed up on the screen, some of which we were unable to read. Those of us with blue glasses could not read the words in blue. Those of us with red glasses could not read the words in red. Some read: 'Blessed are the peacemakers'. Others read: 'I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.' We each had a particular 'view' of Jesus, depending on the colour of our glasses.

When it came to communion, there was a choice of red bread or blue. We were encouraged to take bread of the colour which we had filtered out. That way, we could ask Jesus to help us see that which we had missed because of our filters.

It was a wonderfully creative service with a very profound message. We all experience the world through the filter of our experiences, our opinions, our preferences. When we come to the Bible it is no different; we bring those same filters. I have often met Christians with whom I have disagreed profoundly over the interpretation of the Bible. And of course the temptation is to feel superior; I'm right, they're wrong; one day maybe I'll convince them. The service tonight challenged me to ask the question whether there is more of Jesus for me to see.

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