May 2024 Monthly Letter

Dear Reconcilers,

This month’s thought-provoking letter is written by Tina Kuo Graham.

In today’s culture, everything has become relative with no absolutes. Language is a good example. The very unique gift God gave to those whom He created in His image is now being misused and desecrated to where words like “progressive” actually means “regressive” and “woke” really means “asleep.” Many are coming to the awareness that acronyms such as DEI which is supposed to stand for “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” in reality means “Didn’t Earn It.” Surprising? No, because we live in “Babylon” which literally means “chaos” and “confusion.” That is why God entered our realm in the flesh as The Word (John 1:1,14) because He knew the enemy, the “father of lies” would malign His Words and words to deceive the whole world.

The major issues today surrounding race, ethnicity, gender and identity challenges all have to do with the human heart. God brings this issue to bear at the very beginning in the tragedy between Cain and Abel. A lot is going on in this simple story but in a nutshell, we read in Genesis 4:2-8 that God looked favorably at Abel’s offering and not favorably at Cain’s. Why? Both had provided an offering. I would like to suggest it’s because God could read Cain and Abel’s hearts as He can with all of us (Luke 16:15, Acts 1:24-25, Romans 8:27). God’s acceptance of Abel’s offering over Cain’s wasn’t an issue of gender, race, ethnicity, birth order or favoritism, but the heart.

Now, God poses a question to Cain so he will become aware of his heart-condition: “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, you will certainly be accepted. But if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the doorway; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.” The Hebrew word for “crouching” is rabas, in the way a predatory beast is ready to pounce on its victim. It’s important to note here that God created humans and beasts on the same day, the 6th day of Creation.

So God’s carefully chosen words to Cain are essentially saying, “Cain, you can decide to either walk in the image of God or walk in the image of the beast. The beast is ready to take your soul into his collective but it need not be.”

Every moment of our lives, we have this decision to make as well. In these dark days, with every thought, word and deed, we can either walk in the image of God or in the image of the beast. Satan cunningly crouched and pounced upon Adam and Eve with his deceptive words in the Garden of Eden. The rest is history.

During this season, as we celebrate the precious sacrifice of our Lord and Savior which enabled us to receive His Spirit and hear His Words, let us strive to reflect His image, walk in His ways and glorify Him in all we say and do.