In our lesson from the Hebrew scriptures today, we are reminded that “the Lord is maker of them all,” of each of us and of all of us, of all creation—great and small. Take a few moments to ponder what that really means to you.

In the animated movie “Inside Out” in theaters this summer, viewers are privileged to see the emotions working inside the 11-year-old heroine who is undergoing a major transition in her life. The animated figures of Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, and Disgust run rampant, and we viewers quickly recognize and identify with them in our own lives. It is easy to see how our emotions can take over as we react to the external stresses in our lives for good or ill. The Christ figure in the movie, the self-sacrificing comfort toy, inspires us to face our self-centeredness and question our love for others. As the credits roll by at the end of the movie, in the background viewers see all the antagonists the heroine had faced, each surrounded by her/his own emotions. That was the most teachable moment in the movie for me—that, even in our uniqueness, we are all the same, whether we see it or not. “The Lord is the maker of [us] all,” each and all, bringing us to wholeness and holiness through the transforming love of God, however long it may take.

Would that we could begin to relate to others in our lives, in our community, our nation, our entire world, no matter how different we may seem, with the love God has for each and all. Would that we could let go of our self-centeredness, our “us against them” attitude in all the situations and circumstances that face us day by day, and accept the steadfast love of God working deep within our hearts.