“For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” — Romans 12:4-5
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Michael Blowen and his wife run Old Friends Farm. It’s a 200-acre establishment in Kentucky that’s run as a place for retired racing horses to live out their remaining years in fun and peace. In his words, Blowen said his job is to feed them carrots and treats. Old Friends has become a landing place for several former Kentucky Derby winners, including I’ll Have Another (2012), Big Brown (2008), and the oldest living winner of the Derby, Silver Charm (1997).
Michael and his staff will tell you that the reason these horses enjoy such a relaxed and wonderful retirement experience at the farm is because the whole operation exists to celebrate the greatness and accomplishments of the horses — everything is done in service to these great animals. Blowen notes that “they’re a lot like people: they’re all different, and our job is to see those differences and to accommodate them, and that’s why they’re all relaxed.”
After seeing the recent report on Old Friends Farm — the work that Michael Blowen and his staff are doing there — and hearing their take on how important it is to them to appreciate and even celebrate the individuality of each horse, something stood out to me. I realized that, even as we go out of our way to talk about diversity and making room for differences in this world, most of us only do this insofar as it fits our own preferences. As soon as someone says or does something outside of our comfort zone, we get protective of our opinions or preferences and begin to shut them out. And this is particularly a problem in these polarizing times we’re living in socially and politically.
Whether it’s horses or people, God designed each one to have their own unique voice and impact on the world. Life was intended to have a seat at the table for all, and companies or teams or families or churches or relationships work the best when everyone feels like they are an important part of the operation — like they belong and are appreciated for what they bring to the table. We were each created differently on purpose! God knew it would be a dull world if everyone thought the same, looked the same, talked the same, or acted the same, so variety was born by design.
The apostle Paul spoke many times about the importance of making room for differences. Romans 12:4-5 says, “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” Galatians 3:28 says “we are all one in Christ Jesus.” Even 1 Peter 4:10 talks about the value of each using their own gifts to steward the grace of God “in its various forms.”
Peace can exist where differences are valued. Every person has their own special journey and gifts that God has blessed them with. It would be a shame if, through our own pride or bias, we shamed and silenced something beautiful that God wants them to put out into the world.
— Katherine Singer
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