God delights in reconciling estranged people. From the first pages of the Bible to the last, God repairs and restores broken relationships.

This theme of reconciling estranged groups, specifically ethnic ones, is so dominant in the New Testament, specifically in Paul’s letters, that I almost missed the forest for the trees.

We build gates in communities that are restricted with key-code access, and erect fences in our neighborhoods to mark off our territory, give us privacy from our neighbors, and safety from unwanted intruders.

The logic of good fences seems indisputable. Fences keep little kids and pets within our boundaries, but more importantly, they keep the unwanted and unwelcome out.