When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life” (Acts 11:18).

I have a friend, I’ll call her Jane, who is an atheist. She is a committed follower and goes to weekly atheist meetings and “game nights” in Raleigh. She likes the open atmosphere of support and non-judgement for her world view. In a loose sense, that group has become her people. When she first told me all of this, I recoiled inside as if she had opened her purse and showed me a snake. 

Most of my friends are Christians, but I do have friends and family who are of other faiths or lean more towards being agnostic. To me, being agnostic is still a form of being God-curious (or “Woo Woo curious” as Abby Wambach, the great women’s soccer player, describes her faith journey). But atheism feels like a shut door. Jane was my first relationship with someone who identified strongly with atheism. I wasn’t sure it was wise for me to associate with her, kind as she was to me. Would I become tainted in some way? Should she be a member of my community, my people?

Who are our people?

The early Jewish Christians struggled with this same question. Peter received considerable flak from the Jews for eating with Gentiles. “You went inside the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them” (Acts 11: 3). Old habits die hard and these newly minted Jewish Christians could not accept Gentiles as equal members in the developing Christian community. 

Peter responds by telling them how God led him to a Gentile home in Caesarea, where the whole household was saved:

“As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ So if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?” (Acts 11:15). With Peter’s words and actions, sanctioned by God, the tide of public opinion turned. They understood that Gentiles were part of God’s plan for the Christian community, even with the many differences between them.

Initially, with my friend Jane, I could not find a clear path forward. I prayed about it and even talked to my small group. But often God asks us to wait for our answers and so I waited. One day, Jane asked if I would send her one of the Connect Devotional pieces I wrote for our church. She asked for another. After a while I sent her all of them. Since then, we have had a few light, tentative conversations about those devotionals. Mostly the conversation focused on writing style or form but a few times we have touched on the content of the writing (i.e. God!). I sense a “crack” in what I wrongly judged to be a shut door. This was God’s plan all along. 

Who do you consider your people? Is there someone who you may have discounted who you could include in your life more? Would you consider asking for God’s guidance as you navigate your relationships?