Partiality

This week’s sermon on Partiality and Prejudice reminded me of a conversation I had with a group of young women. The question of prejudice came up and at first we doubted its presence in our circles. Hadn’t we come a long way from slavery and the KKK? BUT the more we pondered, the longer the list became. Think of these:
    Western and Eastern Canada
    Home owners and the homeless
    Young and old
    Caucasian and Native or East Indian or ______ (any other culture)
    Male and female
    Employers and employees
    Those with children and those without children
    Married and single
    Kempt and unkempt
    Educated and uneducated
    White collar and red necks
    Athletic and non-athletic
    Musical and non-musical
    Technically update and non-techy
    Moneyed and poor
    Those who holiday regularly and those who don’t
    Those with the “right” friends and those with the “wrong” friends
    How bosses treat clients and how bosses treat their employees

Did you notice how the one our society values more is listed first? I didn’t even realize I was doing it until I went over it the second time. But there can be just as much prejudice from either side to the other. 

How like Satan!! He thought more highly of himself as well. It’s called pride. And here is what God thinks of pride: God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble. This concept is used many times in the Bible with different emphasis. 

Psalm 138:6 God cares for the humble but keeps his distance from the proud.

Proverbs 3:34 The Lord mocks the mockers but is gracious to the humble.

Matthew 23:12 But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

James 4:6 – Don’t think you are immune to the world’s negative influences. Be humble before God. Resist Satan and he will flee.

1 Peter 5:5 – Don’t try to gain the notoriety of someone else. Humble yourselves before God and he will lift you up at the right time. 

There is also a great story Jesus told in Luke 18:9-14 (Message). Read it by inserting your name and the group from the above list whom you have the most trouble thinking less of then yourself.

He told his next story to some who were complacently pleased with themselves over their moral performance and looked down their noses at the common people:

“________ (your name) and __________ (who you are prejudice against) went up to the Temple to pray. ________ (your name) posed and prayed like this: ‘Oh, God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, crooks, adulterers, or, heaven forbid, like this ____________ (who you are prejudice against). I fast twice a week and tithe on all my income.’

“Meanwhile _____________ (who you are prejudice against), slumped in the shadows, his face in his hands, not daring to look up, said, ‘God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner.’”

Jesus commented, “This ______________ (who you are prejudice against), not _________ (your name), went home made right with God.

If you walk around with your nose in the air, you’re going to end up flat on your face, but if you’re content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself.”

OUCH!!! Did you feel the sting like I did? Lord, forgive us. We too are sinners in need of your mercy. May we never forget it. Amen.

Blessings from Bev