I was reading an article today by Wendy Ellison where she said, “What if we wore labels like that? We are like fabric, cut from the same cloth, God’s children, created in His image. And yet we are different, part of His grand design. We all have traits that make us unique—complete with physical attributes that we might perceive as flaws. Upon closer examination, perhaps it is those distinctive qualities that make us who we are.” And it made me wonder, is this really true?

If the flaws in a person make that person even better, more distinctive, more… them, then why do organizations shun people? She is only referring to physical beauty but I think ti applies to alot more than just outward appearance. Get any five people together and there’s a better than even chance that any two of them won’t get along. They’ll get along just fine with everyone else, just not with each other. Does that make them flawed? No, of course not.

She goes on to say, “We can all recognize beauty in diversity and accept ourselves and others as we understand that our differences make life more interesting and only add to the richness and texture of God’s fabric canvas.”

I completely agree. While there are always going to be people I don’t get along with, things that people do that I dislike, I do my best to get past it, continue to socialize with them, find some ground on which we can meet as colleagues, if not friends. If I can to this effort reach out as an individual, why don’t more organizations do it as groups? Why excommunicate? Do they really fear “contamination” so much? I doubt it.

I think there’s a deeper reason I just haven’t figured out yet. But I will!