God
Doesn’t Have Favorites
Then
Peter began to speak: “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.” – Acts 10:34-35
I’ve never
understood why some Americans believe that God favors the United States above
all other nations except, perhaps, Israel. It’s not in the Bible. In fact, we
are told again and again that God loves everyone equally. Yet some cling
tightly to the belief that we are somehow favored above all others.
That belief
fuels so much discord and hatred. We look down on people who speak in a
different language or have different cultures. We angrily condemn the poor as “lazy”
and the unwed mother as “promiscuous.” We don’t know their stories but we judge
and condemn them as though we do.
“Not in my
neighborhood,” we shout. “Stay out of our country,” we spew. “We don’t want
that kind in our church,” we explain. “They should help themselves,” we insist.
We are full of justifications and excuses for why refuse to do what God commanded
us to do.
Love people.
Welcome people. Extend a helping hand. Not send money to a foreign land or pray
for someone while keeping them far away and not telling people they are welcome
after they clean up their lives. We don’t want to be inconvenienced. We don’t
want to actually do the work. We don’t want to kneel down and wash another’s
feet.
We are better
than others. It’s what we believe in our hearts. Except those same hearts are
getting judged by the only One who truly sees. What does God see when He looks
into your hearts?
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