October 2, 2023
Melissa Valerio
We all have prejudices. As much as we’d like to deny it, they are there. Maybe they’re small, but they are there. It takes a lifetime of walking with Jesus to rid ourselves completely of them. Sometimes it takes a gentle reminder from God to get our hearts right. Like He did through James “For if a man comes into your meeting place wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes also comes in, and you pay special attention to the one who wears the fine clothes, and say to him, ‘You sit here in this good seat,’ and you tell the poor man, ‘You stand over there, or sit down [on the floor] by my footstool,’ have you not discriminated among yourselves, and become judges with wrong motives?” James 2:2-4 (AMP) This was common back in the 1st century too?? Not much has changed, unfortunately, except maybe it has gotten worse. This kind of thinking is established by a sense of privilege. Discriminating against people who you believe is lesser than you. Lesser than you in appearance, age, social status, achievements, financial status, race, ethnicity, nationality, even religious background. But Jesus died for all of us. And the ground at the foot of the cross is level. None of us would be able to earn merit with God based on any achievements, looks, money, deeds, or ancestry. We are all sinners in need of a Savior. And God pours out His grace and blessing on all of us, making the rain fall equally on the just and the unjust.
We have a responsibility, as followers of Jesus, to bridge the gap of discrimination with the same grace and mercy He’s shown us. To be the salt of the Earth and the light of the world. Let’s make a radical commitment to serve others, regardless of any differences we may have. Because whatever we have done for the least of these, we have done for Him.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You died for everyone. Not a single person on this Earth is better than another. Your love transcends all barriers that we have placed upon others. Teach us how to bring those barriers down like the walls of Jericoh. Help us to love everyone as You do. In Your heavenly name, Amen.
Action: Read Esther 7. Take note of how serious the punishment was on Haman, an evil man intent on annihilating the entire Jewish race. God stepped in and saved His people from the sin of racism (a form of prejudice). This entire story shows God’s heart in the way He protects His people and in the way He judges the evildoer. Let’s take this example and make a choice on which side we’d rather be on — having Jesus as our Defender or having Jesus as our Judge.
image: freepik.com