Recently I went on a trip to a part of China where many minorities live. 

For about 1300 years this area has been off and on ruled from the capital of China.  At times, the minority groups have experienced periods of relative independence under local minority leaders, but at other times they have been more directly governed from the capital.  Regardless of the political situation, the minority people here have maintained their languages, cultures, and religion.  

The situation today is that the number of the majority Han Chinese is increasing in the area.  There is tension and at times open hostility between some of the minority people and some of the Han people.  In addition to this, the minority groups have differences among themselves. 

It is in this context that I was glad to see the fruit of the cross.  Paul writes in Ephesians 2:15-16 “His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.”  The purpose of Christ is to bring peace and harmony in the place of hostility.  The method he uses is the cross. 

While in this area of China, I was able to meet and pray together with believers from three different minority groups and majority Han.  Though they spoke different languages, they shared the same vision of seeing God’s Kingdom of Peace extended to more and more people in that region.  In order to communicate better, the minorities expressed the need to learn Mandarin better, and the Han told what they are doing to learn the minority languages. 

The fruit of the cross is not theoretical.  It is not only future.  It is measurable.  It is present today.  It can be felt. The atmosphere of harmony and family that I felt in that meeting is an example of the fruit of the cross.  Can you feel it where you are?