Embracing Our Differences with Love

 Transcribed by AI

Radio Voice of Life, programme of play and stream, Radio Voice of Life, Radio Voice of Life, Radio Voice of Life, Radio Voice of Life, Radio Voice of Life, Radio Voice of Life, Radio Voice of Life, Radio Voice of Life, Radio Voice of Life, Radio Voice of Life, Radio Voice of Life, Radio Voice of Life. What beautiful rules, Aunt Maryam! If I upset you, forgive me. I have forgiven you. My sister said it’s nothing. I remember that being different is not a limitation, but rather a beauty. I remember not to be too messy, things will gradually calm down. Thank God for the girls. My cake is ready. We have prepared tea. We are grateful to God for all His blessings. The smell of cake that fills the house makes one happy. Mother, do you think my cake has turned out well? Oh dear mother, when the heart is happy and cooperation is good, it must certainly taste good. Maryam, thank you for understanding my feelings today. I was happy to talk. When I calmed down, I realised that talking all the time is not good. This understanding is what makes a person grow up. It's not about one person, Aunt. I thought peace meant everything should be exactly as I desire, but that’s what many think. However, real peace comes when a person's heart softens. That means if someone is different from us, we must accept them? Accepting means seeing another person's heart, not trying to change them. Today we learned that if Maryam is cheerful, it’s because she is happy, and if she’s quiet, it’s because she’s deep in thought. You see, these differences make the family more beautiful. Oh dear mother, how delicious the cake has turned out! The design is nice too. It seems you all have won! Before we eat the cake, let’s take a moment to give thanks. Dear God, thank You for teaching me that everything is not about me. Thank You for reminding me that the peace of others is important. Thank You for making differences bring us closer together, and thank You, God, for giving me a wonderful family. The tea is ready, and the cake is warm. Beautiful children, you must listen to your mother and father a lot and be smart and chatty. Now, let’s move on to the next part of the programme together. Hello and greetings to you, dear children of God! You are listening to our programme. I pray that wherever you are, your heart is at peace and your home is filled with love. Friends, we are a small family but with hearts full of love, and we are very happy to be your guests today. Hello, hello friends! Hello, my lovely and sweet friends! I am Nafashta, ten years old, and I am very happy to be with you today. Honestly, dear friends, when you wake up in the morning, do you smile first or take your time before greeting everyone? Hello to all our sweet and lovely friends! I am Maryam, eight years old, and I am very happy to be a guest in your homes. Sometimes I get a bit cheeky, but I always want to learn new things and speak more calmly. Do you have someone at home who gets excited like me? Hello to all our dear listeners! I am your aunt, and I hope you are doing well and happy. I have a lot of memories and experiences to share with you, and I will try to communicate them. Oh, I forgot to say that I am also very happy to spend these few minutes with you. Today we want to talk about something that exists in every home, in every family, even in schools, churches, and among friends. It's the differences between people. Those are the things that help me feel calm. Maryam, you like reading books, while I prefer to hear old stories, but you like new tales. Exactly, it's the difference in thoughts, behaviour, tastes, feelings, even in the way we believe in God. Dear friends, when you live with someone whose opinions are always different from yours, what do you do? Do you argue, fight, or listen? Sometimes I get angry first, then I think and realise I might be wrong. That in itself is a big step, dear Maryam. Growing up means accepting that we are not always right, even when we think we are. Sweet children, let me read a verse from the Bible, Paul’s letter to the Romans, chapter 15, verse 7, which relates closely to today’s topic. Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ accepted you, for the glory of God. This verse teaches us that before we try to change someone, we must first accept them. Mother, does that mean if my friend doesn’t think the same way as me, I should still accept them? Yes, my dear, accepting someone means loving them. We should not try to make everyone like us. Even if someone is a bit cheeky like us or makes mistakes quickly? Oh dear mother, sometimes I think respect means agreeing, but respect means allowing others to be themselves. I have learned that when someone is different from me, I should first listen to their words and then respond. I am still practicing this, but I want to replace shouting with listening. I have also learned to share my experiences with others, rather than imposing my opinions on them. In the Bible, in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, chapter 13, verse 4, it also reminds us that love is patient and kind. Love does not envy or boast. Love is not proud or rude. This means respecting differences is not possible without patience. Mother, I want our home to be a place where everyone feels safe, even if they are different. Even if they make mistakes, they can learn again and try their chances. And dear listeners who are hearing us from home, this is the kind of home that God loves. We are different, but we are not alone. We are unique, but we have been accepted. Because Christ accepted us, we learn to accept one another. I want to ask our small and big listeners to do something. As today's programme comes to an end, try to show a little more love to someone who is different from you. Maybe it’s your sister, brother, classmate, or even a neighbour. How well you said that, Aunt! Oh dear mother, if today Maryam does something that I don’t like, should I first take a deep breath? Then respond? Well done, my daughter, that’s a very good exercise. Sometimes just one person calms our hearts. And if I feel restless and want to be playful, I can first stay silent and then express how I feel. Not shout at anyone. You see, dear listeners, these two girls have learned a very important lesson. Having feelings is not bad, but how we express them is important. Differences are a blessing, children, not a problem. If we all thought the same way, how boring the world would be! God created each of us with unique colours, thoughts, feelings, and abilities. Dear friend, you might be calm or very energetic. You might love art or mathematics. Whatever you are, you are valuable. And if you ever make a mistake, it doesn't mean you're bad. It means you are learning. Let’s say a short prayer together today. Dear God, soften our hearts so we can see the differences in others. But let us not lose love. Lord, help us to accept others just as Christ accepted us, and let our homes be filled with respect, patience, and peace. Amen. Dear children, I have learned many things from this part of the programme. What about you? I am sure you have learned many good things too. Yes, dear children, you are very lovely and precious. Now I want to ask you what you learned from this part of the programme and what you found interesting. Maryam and I learned a lot, and I encourage you to share what you learned with your friends. Now let's listen to the next part of the programme together. Girls, let’s tell a story today about the importance of being different. A story that comes from real life. Maryam, this story is not for children. Calm down. Nafashta, please be quiet for a bit. Nafashta, my dear, listen carefully. Maryam, you had this story. Nafashta, my dear, listen carefully. I heard this story when I was your age, but every time I tell it, it gains new meaning. I am ready, Aunt. I want the story to provoke thought. I am listening. But if I have questions, I will ask, Aunt. That’s right. There was a school with thirty students who always sat together. They were all neighbours. However, none of them were the same as each other. One was calm and precise. One was talkative and curious. And one was shy and quiet. Were they all alike? Maybe, dear. But they weren’t exactly the same. The calm student listened more than spoke. The talkative student always had something to say. And the shy student could never sit still. The teacher initially thought he needed to make all of them the same. He told the calm one to speak up, the talkative one to be quiet, and the shy one to sit still. But none of the thirty students or the teacher were happy or satisfied. I think it was because they were not themselves and couldn’t be. Ah, dear Nafashta, you said it exactly right. One day, the teacher fell ill and couldn’t come to school. A new teacher came instead. This new teacher paid more attention to the differences. He told the calm student to be responsible for order. He told the talkative one to gather questions from the other students, and he told the shy one to be mindful so that he wouldn’t cause trouble. I bet he was very happy because he was doing what he liked. They were all happy. Their class became lively and fresh. There was order, conversation, and excitement. There was also laughter and joy. The students realised that each of them had something the others didn’t. They learned the differences that everyone possesses. They no longer had problems among themselves and respected each other. Gradually, they learned that if someone was calm, they should be patient. If someone was talkative, they should listen carefully. And if someone was shy, they should show him the right path. Does that mean respecting each other? Yes, Maryam, respect means accepting that being different is not a bad thing. It means not wanting to make others like you. So what happened? Years went by, and the three students graduated. Each of them went their own way. But they remembered that respecting differences brought them all together and helped them grow equally. If everyone was the same, what would happen? The class would be boring and dull. The school would become silent. Life would lose its colour. I think being different takes courage and will not be easy. You said it right, dear, and more importantly, respecting differences also takes courage, and that is not easy either. I always try to be brave. That’s enough. I told you these stories so that we don’t forget that everyone has value in their own place. Is the story finished? No, my dear. The story does not end here. The three students learned that they didn’t have to be the same to thrive in society. Each of them found their rightful place when they were themselves. Differences were no longer a barrier; they became a bridge. So if we have differences, we can still stay together? Yes, exactly. Respect means allowing others to be seen as they are. None of them were too much? No, Maryam. Each of them was a piece of a larger picture. When we are together, it becomes just like that. Dear children, this story was so beautiful, sweet, and educational. I learned many new things, and I hope it was enlightening for you too. Yes, dear children, now let’s move on to the next part of the programme. My dear girls, today I want to tell you a story from the Bible. It’s about a man named Simon who invited Jesus to his home. Simon was a Pharisee, and he loved Jesus as his teacher. Why did Simon invite Jesus, dear mother? He wanted to host Him and see Jesus up close. But his heart was still filled with judgement. What happened next, dear mother? In that city, there lived a woman whom people considered a sinner. Did she come to Jesus’ house with a very expensive jar of perfume? Why did she go there, dear mother? My daughter, her heart was very full. She quietly followed Jesus. She started crying and weeping. Her tears flowed over Jesus’ feet. Then what did she do? She wiped His feet with her hair. She kissed His feet and poured the sweet perfume on His tears. What did Simon think? Oh dear mother, Simon thought to himself that if this man were truly Jesus, he would know who this woman was and what people thought of her. Simon only saw the woman’s past, but he had no idea about her heart and intentions. Did Jesus know this? Yes, He knew what was in her heart. Then Jesus turned to Simon and said, “I have a story for you. I want you to listen carefully to this story so you can understand.” He said there were two debtors. One owed a little, and the other owed a lot more. The lender forgave both debts. Which of those who were forgiven would be happier? That was the question Jesus asked Simon, and Simon replied that it would be the one who owed more. Jesus said, “You have answered correctly. You brought me to your house, but you did not give me water to wash my feet. This woman, with her tears, has washed my feet. You did not greet me with a kiss, but this woman has shown me great honour from her pure heart by kissing my feet.” What did Simon say? He said nothing, he just remained silent. Now let me read a part from the Bible, from the Gospel of Luke, chapter 7, verse 47. “I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven – as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” Was the woman’s sin really the problem? No, dear mother, the problem was the way people in her region looked at her. They had no patience or understanding for her differences and life experiences, and they disrespected her without knowing her pure intentions. So did they not respect the woman? Not only did they not respect her, but they also insulted her. Jesus looked at her with respect because He knew her kind heart. Don’t you see, girls, when we don’t know the state of someone’s heart and intentions, we shouldn’t disrespect them. And these differences shouldn’t keep us apart. We should feel and understand the differences between people so that we can judge correctly and not make mistakes. Mother, we want to reflect the character of Jesus Christ to people. Yes, dear mother, learning this takes time, but when you feel it in your heart, it is valuable. But it starts with this, the intention in your heart is what matters. Does it mean we should start by not judging others too quickly? Yes, my daughter, it starts with respecting and accepting others. Jesus did not hurt or judge the woman quickly. He respected her and accepted her. Did the woman leave feeling at peace? Yes, my daughter, she left with peace and happiness, feeling accepted. Mother, I understand. It doesn’t matter what people think of me as long as my faith and heart are in Jesus Christ. I thank you, mother, for sharing this beautiful and educational story with us. Thank God for you, mother. Yes, dear children, this Bible story was very informative, and I learned many things that I didn’t know before. Yes, Maryam, I also learned a lot. Yes, dear children, we have now reached the end of this programme. Sweet and lovely children, I commend you to the Lord. Goodbye to all of you.