No Favoritism

"Then Peter began to speak:

'I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men

from every nation

who fear him

and do what is right.'"

Acts 10:34-35

I recently attended a Christmas party at a local Christian radio station where an up-and-coming singer performed.  After the mini-concert, (or should I say time of worship?) everyone in attendance was invited to chat with the young performer.  As my family and our two young friends waited our turn, a group of boisterous women edged their way in front of us and another young family.  As the ladies were laughing and joking around with the singer, I overheard them say they were friends with one of the on-air-personalities.  It seemed they thought their connection to the radio station gave them privileges not granted to everyone else.  Their attitude was one of entitlement.

It's easy for me to carry this same attitude as one who was adopted into the family of God through faith in Jesus Christ.  (1 John 3:1)  I can sometimes get an attitude of entitlement or an expectation that I'll receive special privileges because I'm His child.  Other times, I wrongly think there is something special about me that He would choose me.  This way of thinking can lead me down the path of picking and choosing who I think would best benefit from the Gospel.

Thankfully, the truth is far from either of these sinful outlooks.  God did not send Jesus to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. Whoever trusts in Jesus as his Lord and Savior will be saved from eternal death. (John 3:16-17)  The Gospel is not set aside for certain people who meet some kind of standard, fall into a certain category or who happened to be born into the "right" country or family.  No, there is no difference.  (Romans 10:11-13)

Jesus is Lord to all who give their lives to Him.  Because of God's charity, I can be sure there are some things on which the availability of the Gospel is not based.

Background

Growing up in a rural area outside of a small town, I had no exposure to the military.  I was more accustomed to seeing friendly farmers,  gentle dairy cows and green pastures than disciplined soldiers, polished uniforms and standardized buildings.  So, when I married an Army soldier, I was in for a rude awakening.  I had to learn the lingo, get to know the military customs and settle into a different way of life.

As a believer in Jesus Christ, I am received by faith.  My lack of experience in church, religious training or the ways of Christianity did not hamper my acceptance into the family of God.  My adoption is purely based on what Jesus did on the cross in taking the punishment meant for my sin in order to satisfy God's just nature.  There are no prerequisites or preconditions.  All it takes is the willingness to accept His free gift of salvation.

There are times, though, when I assume a person will not be interested in God's amazing gift.  I often come into contact with a brazenly open atheist who does not hesitate to share her beliefs.  She believes all religion is foolish and only for the weak-minded.  Who am I to decide that her background excludes her from the good news of Jesus Christ?  I don't know what is going on in her heart.

Other times I think someone lost in the labyrinth of alcoholism or drug abuse would be indifferent to the saving grace found in Jesus.  After all, if they really wanted to come to Jesus, all they'd need to do was set foot in one of the many churches located around my community, right?  What I'm not considering is that maybe they've never come into contact with Jesus and haven't heard the gospel.  I could be the one with the beautiful feet who would bring the good news to them. (Romans 10:15)

What if I'm turned off by someone's background in prostitution, stripping or exotic dancing?  It's easy to think that someone choosing that kind of lifestyle would never want to learn about the God who loves them.  In reality, it could be just the news they've been longing to hear.

The availability of the Gospel is not based on a person's background but on the grace of God freely offered to all who seek it.

Tradition

Christmas is a time of traditions.  Some families hang stockings over the fireplace, filling them with goodies the night before Christmas.  Others set up an advent wreath and come together for devotionals designed to keep their minds focused on the coming of the Messiah.  Many families make a night of decorating the tree, reminiscing about the different ornaments and the sentiment or meanings behind them.  I even have heard of the practice of saving the trunk of this year's Christmas tree to burn in the fireplace as a yule log the following year.  Traditions can be fun and bring meaning to an otherwise secular holiday.

Unfortunately, tradition can also be the enemy of the dispersion of the Gospel.  Some denominations get stuck in doing the same thing all the time, never letting God's Spirit lead them toward the truth.  They end up following rules made by men instead of cultivating a relationship with a living God.  (Matthew 15:9)  Other times, people get stuck on the style of worship, or the order and content of a Sunday service.  Let's face it, true worship is about the way I live my life and not what kind of songs are sung or whether we recite scripture or hear it read aloud.  (Romans 12:1)

Even if someone has gone to church their whole life, following the pattern of his or her family, they still need the gospel.  I can't assume that those who seem to follow a Christian lifestyle are, indeed, saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus.  It is wrong for me to withhold the good news because I assume they already know.  

I have been in churches where the tradition was not rooted in the Gospel.  The lie that I must live my life in a certain way in order to make it into heaven was preached from the pulpit.  Other times I have experienced a judgmental spirit toward the way I'm dressed or in how I worship during the time of praise.

These kinds of churches do more to distract people from the gospel than to draw them to it.  Even so, God does not withhold the truth from those who are led by tradition.  They need to hear of the power of the blood of Jesus that can cover their sins if only they would turn to the truth.

The availability of the Gospel is not based on tradition but on the grace of God freely offered to all who seek it.

Culture

Some western missionaries had the habit of going into a foreign region to spread the gospel, but mistakenly thought the natives needed to be westernized before they could be acceptable to God.   

Thankfully, the good news of Jesus is not only for those who dress, act, speak and think like I do.  When I gain a respect for all people who God created in His own image, He will incline my heart toward those who are lost, no matter where they're from.

Each of us carries some kind of culture bias.  I am naturally drawn to those who look and sound like me.  God, however, does not operate in such a manner.  He loves the diversity of His creation, otherwise He wouldn't have designed us that way.  Therefore, I would be wise to carry the same kind of attitude.

I once heard a young missionary couple speak on their upcoming assignment by God to serve in China.  The wife spoke of how she had no desire to go to that particular country, and even expressed a dread at the impending trip.  God, however, changed her mind, giving her a heart for the people of that country.  She ended up cherishing the time she shared with those open and loving people.

If that young woman had retained her bias against that foreign culture, those young people would have had to hear the gospel through some other means.  But because of God's great mercy, He transformed her mind and gave her a desire to share the gospel with them, herself receiving a tremendous blessing.

The availability of the Gospel is not based on culture but on the grace of God freely offered to all who seek it.

Jesus came to save all of mankind.  Unfortunately, its easy to close off certain people because of their background, tradition or culture.  Once I come into relationship with Jesus, however, He will give me a heart to share the good news with everyone I meet.  Then I will become more like God who does not show favoritism. 

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can keep an open mind when it comes to sharing the gospel.

How do I assume some people will not accept the good news?

When do I hinder the spread of the Gospel because of my attitudes or beliefs?

  

Church Wars

"The LORD is good to all;
   he has compassion on all he has made."

Psalm 145:9

As a white woman married to a black man, I have seen all kinds of churches.  Little country churches in the backwoods of Mississippi and huge cathedrals in the center of sprawling metropolises.  I've seen how people of different backgrounds worship, and the diverse beliefs about who God is and how His people fit into His kingdom.   Some are pompous and arrogant, some are humble and modest.  Most are somewhere in between.  No matter what our beliefs, the Lord is good to each and every one of us.  If God does not discriminate, why do we?

Background   Humans tend to flock together with birds of a feather.  I am drawn to those who look like me, share the same beliefs as me, and who share a similar background as me.  But this is contrary to the teaching of the first church.  Peter, one of the leaders of the first church, also held this same belief due to years of following the Old Testament rules of purity.   Peter had been taught to keep away from certain foods which would make him unclean.  Since Gentiles, or anyone who was not Jewish,  regularly consumed many of these foods, Peter had been conditioned not to eat with non-Israelites.  The thing was, God was about to send Peter out to preach the Gospel to these "unclean" Gentiles. God gave Peter a vision that made it clear that under the new covenant, the old laws no longer applied and that he was ". . not (to) call anything impure that God has made clean." (Acts 10:15)  Peter went on to preach, saying, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right."(v 34-35) Today's church, or Body of Christ, is made up of people from all backgrounds and nations. I should not get caught up in old prejudices and attitudes, but worship together as God intended; blind to color, ethnicity and culture.

Bias  I grew up with a certain style of worship and preaching, and it is easy for me to think this is the only and best way of worship and preaching.  Thankfully, it's not the style that matters, but the One whom we are gathered to worship that is of the utmost importance.  Paul, in teaching about living as children of light in a dark world, said to,  ". . .be filled with the Spirit,  speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord,  always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Ephesians 5:18-20) It's about Him, not about me and my biases.  I can use any method to worship as long as my heart is focused on glorifying God! 

Beliefs  "Don't play cards."  "No Fishing on Sunday."  "Don't listen to secular music."  "No yardwork on Sunday."  It is so easy to become like the Pharisees and teachers of the law in Jesus' time who came up with all these rules to "help people to follow God's law."  The problem was, it put a heavy burden on the people who thought they had to do what the leaders said as well as what God said.  Since Jesus set us free from the burden of the law; we know we are not saved by following the law.  This is because no one is able to follow the law in it's entirety.  But many times, I carry around these weird human beliefs that have been passed down from generation to generation.  I'm sure you can add a few to the list above.  Paul taught that,  “ 'Everything is permissible'—but not everything is beneficial. 'Everything is permissible'—but not everything is constructive.  Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others."  (I Corinthians 10:23-24)  Instead of focusing on what I think I should and should not do in order to make myself more holy, I should instead focus on what is good for those who are watching and for those I live with.  But most of all, I should seek to glorify God in all that I do (including where I choose to worship), and not worry about silly old beliefs. 

Do I focus too much on my own background, biases and beliefs which keeps me from worshipping in spirit and in truth, as Christ intended?  

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I may let go of those things that keep me from really hearing a message you are sending through a person that looks, sounds and acts different from me. 

How am I pre-judging without even realizing it?


Where am I holding onto old beliefs that are not based on the scriptures?