I am praying currently for the people in our area and in our nation for us to be able to appreciate the worth of those around us.

I believe we need each other.

A song sung in churches when I was young talked about the value God held for each person — “Red and yellow, black and white. They are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.”

Skin pigmentation is one area we often see that provides an easy way to categorize people, but it says nothing of the value of the person or people. We are neither good or bad, better or worse, valuable or worthless because of the pigmentation of our skin.

Another area people are often divided is whether they are conservative or liberal.

If not careful, the labeling keeps us from the blessing of the uniqueness of people.

The temptation is to only hear from people like us and go into our enclaves with only short forays into the outside world to get something we can only acquire by going outside.

Ideas are processes of accomplishing tasks and there are some good ideas from people who may view the world from completely differing thought platforms.

We in the church world are further segmented into our denominational or experiential groups. We may be evangelical, Catholic, protestant, pentecostal, liturgical, independent or a myriad of other designations but the bottom line is we are Christians.

I have had the opportunity for almost 10 years to pray with some of the other pastors in this town and it is such pleasure to get to know them and to be able to work together on projects for the betterment of our community.

By praying together we have found common ground that enables us to be supportive and encouraging of each other.

In order to be able to see the worth or value of others it is important to get acquainted with them.

When we become aware of who they are, it allows us to see what they add to the fabric of human life.

The amazing gifts are all around us provide a mosaic of opportunities to make our lives, collectively and individually, better.

People have much to add to our community that we cannot afford to allow ourselves to be fragmented into groupings that keep our giftings selfishly to ourselves or to our little group.

Mr. Rogers implored a generation of children to become his friend but beyond that he was planting the seeds of friendship in the lives of those children.

Friendship looks for good in those that we are friends with. Friendship allows for personal growth that broadens the horizon of the friends.

It is my prayer that we in this community step across the boundaries and get to know each other and value what each add to this community.

Won’t you be my friend? Why not seek out someone to get to know and appreciate that is different from you?

David Douglas is senior pastor of Church of God Cathedral.