Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

Today's reading titled Celebrating Diversity was written by Lisa M. Samra.

At the 2019 graduation ceremony at a local high school,

608 students prepared to receive their diplomas.

The principal began by asking students to stand when he read the name of the country where they were born.

Afghanistan, Bolivia, Bosnia.

The principal kept going until he'd named 60 countries, and every student was standing and cheering

together. Sixty countries, one high school. The beauty of unity amid diversity was a powerful image

that celebrated something near to God's heart, people living together in unity.

We read an encouragement for unity among God's people in Psalm 133, a Psalm of Ascent,

a song sung as people entered Jerusalem for annual celebrations.

The Psalm reminded the people of the benefits of living harmoniously,

despite differences that could cause a vision. In vivid imagery, unity is described as refreshing

dew and oil, used to anoint priests, running down the head, beard, and clothing of a priest.

Together, these images point to the reality that in unity God's blessings flow so lavishly

they can't be contained.

For believers in Jesus, despite differences such as ethnicity, nationality, or age, there's a deeper unity

in the spirit. When we stand together and celebrate that common bond as Jesus leads us,

we can embrace our God-given differences and celebrate the source of true unity.

Thank you. and celebrate the source of true unity. Today's Our Daily Bread Devotional Scripture reading is from Psalm 133.

How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity.

It is like precious oil poured on the head,

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