Most people when they hear the name “Jimi Hendrix” think of one of the greatest guitar players of all time. Not only a phenomenal guitarist, Hendrix was also a showman. At a Pop Festival in 1967 he lit his Fender Stratocaster up in flames at the end on the concert. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in both the U.S. and the U.K. after his death.
You probably would not have guessed that the pop icon Jimi Hendrix had an amazing vision for a world of peace. Jimi Hendrix once said:
“When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace.”
It is tempting to put people in boxes, like the one that happens when we hear a name like Jimi Hendrix, remembering him only as one of the best guitarist of all time. Although most of us resent labels we find ourselves applying them to others. We want to separate people into categories by age, sex, race, economic status, political party, biblical stance, or theological understanding.
There seem to be no end to our hunger to divide and separate. Like the students at Hogwarts in Harry Potter novels, we find ourselves always longing for “the sorting hat,” a way to separate one group from another.
This Sunday we continue a series called “Reconciling All Things.” We will examine what the Bible has to say about division and fear and our call to be ambassadors for Christ who work for unity and peace.
Peace,
Pastor Cathy Johns