Embracing the Spiritual Lessons of UnbelongingToo often, division and tribalism replace the unity God desires for humankind. Belonging becomes a battle, and its winners gain the world: access, comfort, safety, community. Yet for those on the margins--set apart from their culture by differences such as ethnicity, class, ability, and faith--God offers something even greater.
The Gift of the Outsider celebrates the unexpected spiritual blessings found in unbelonging--and calls Christians of all backgrounds to love and listen to the outcasts in their community. Author Alicia J. Akins offers heartfelt reflections on her own experiences of as a Christian, a Black American, a woman, and an expatriate as she illuminates how readers can
- cherish gifts like sight, dependence, and freedom that God bestows to those who endure vulnerability, loneliness, and adversity
- encourage and humbly receive the invaluable perspectives outsiders of all kinds bring to the church body
- delight in how the differences within God's people reflect his majesty--and how Christ's overarching supremacy unifies all believers
Compassionately written and biblically grounded,
The Gift of the Outsider is a thoughtful, uplifting compliment to today's broader conversations surrounding diversity and inclusion, sure to encourage and challenge outsiders and insiders alike.
