If the life of Jesus did anything, it universalized the scope of God's love. God's love and care extends to all people, in many different ways.

A wise man once told me, "You do what you do and you don't do what you don't do." This may sound like doubletalk, but for me it was very insightful. I would like to suggest another thought along the same vein, "You know what you know and you don't know what you don't know." This is especially true when we try to determine the will and mystery of God.

The God of my understanding is perfectly capable of dealing with the multitude of ways humanity has devised to relate a deity. Those of us who have come to know Jesus feel we have a headsup on our relationship with God. We believe that Jesus offers the best option available for the human journey through life. The Christian witness enables us to believe that Jesuscommand to love God and to love our neighbor is the best alternative for our earthly pilgrimage.

Extreme approaches, of any kind, to a belief system are problematic. Insisting on only one way to reach desired goals brings on exclusion, isolation, pain and death. Such responses have been a part of human activity since the beginning. God, however, wears a coat that includes all colors, sizes and shapes. This garment, which God offers to all humanity, is one when accepted, changes one's perception of his or her world. The legacy of our Christian perspective is to be passed on to future generations and is an obligation that must be fulfilled!

Let us all accept God's coat of many colors and be witnesses to the positive effect the Christian way has on our world. Joining together we can change the direction the world is heading. Without the coat of many colors, the way is bleak; with the journey is full of hope and promise. Wear a coat of many colors and you will make a difference.

Father Al Leveridge is vicar at Trinityby the-Sea Episcopal Church.