It's a Small, Small, World

This past Sunday, I asked our Confirmands, “Do any of you have Muslim friends?” They all raised their hands, and the father of one of our confirmands is a Muslim.

I thought to myself: “This isn’t my Gramma’s world!”

And it certainly isn’t the world into which I was born.

In the span of my 67 years, the world has changed dramatically, and I can only say, “Thank God!”

Because the world has gotten a lot smaller for all of us - as Walt Disney puts it.

it's a world of laughter, a world or tears

its a world of hopes, its a world of fear

theres so much that we share

that its time we're aware

its a small world after all

CHORUS:

its a small world after all

its a small world after all

its a small world after all

its a small, small world

There is just one moon and one golden sun 

And a smile means friendship to everyone. 

Though the mountains divide 

And the oceans are wide 

It's a small small world

We have Muslim neighbors, Buddhist and Hindu and Jewish and Atheist neighbors, co-workers, and who knows what else. Our children and grandchildren go to schools that are a virtual United Nations, even as is Calvary Presbyterian Church.

In many parts of the world, Christians have long lived with folks of other religions, and may have even been in the minority. Here in the States, Christians tended to know only Christians and have always been the majority. While Christianity remains the dominant religion of the United States, Christians are having to adjust to a very different world. While there was a time when it was easy for Christians to assume a sort of superior attitude, it’s a whole lot harder to do that.

Humility is a virtue, no doubt, and for Christians these days, we can all remember and celebrate that no one else has to be wrong in order for any of us to be right. There is a wideness in God’s mercy, and it’s good to remember that when the world is so small.