Favoritism tested . . .

 

Partiality tests come in numerous ways. James gave this as one example:

My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? (James 2:1–4)

Jesus, the Lord of glory was not partial. Even though He is “the Word (who) became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14) and “in Him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily” (Colossians 2:9) the Pharisees knew. They “sent their disciples to him,  “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone’s opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances.” (Matthew 22:16)

Jesus told parables that also revealed His impartial attitude. In one, He spoke of a wedding where those invited did not show up so the father of the groom told his servants, “The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.” They went out and gathered “both bad and good.” (Matthew 22:1–14)

I tend to be partial to those who obviously love Jesus and don’t enjoy the company of those wrapped up in themselves. They remind me of how my own short-comings concerning ‘me, myself, and I’ can easily be a favorite topic, yet whatever the reason for favoritism, God keeps telling me to be impartial, to be interested in everyone and kind, no matter who they are or how they behave.

Yesterday our church hosted the funeral of a man who once attended the church we once attended. Many came from that former church, some of prominent in leadership and some who showed up only now and then. It seemed important to meet and greet all of them, plus the strangers, and including our friends and the leaders in our church who conducted the service. After several hours of visiting with everyone, fatigue hit, but also a sense of having done what God wanted — no favoritism or impartiality.

James illustrated being impartial regarding what people were wearing. That happens in church. Yesterday there were men in shorts and men in suits, women in jeans and women in dresses. One pushed a walker. Some wore masks. Some sang the hymns, others did not. I did notice that I wanted to talk longer with those who praised the Lord but that didn’t seem like being partial so much as wanting a bright and transparent spot in a sea of people who were wearing polite funeral faces.

PRAY: Lord Jesus, thank You for being impartial and granting Your people that same grace. I note that You also called sin for what it is in the lives of the Pharisees and other religious people who rejected You. We still have “respected, religious leaders” who were threatened by Your humble, meek and powerful manner, much like those of Your day. Reaching out to others with no favoritism does not mean acceptance of their sinful behavior or that of anyone else. You never patted people on the head and told them they were okay when they were not. Being like You is a challenge in that You reached out to all but still called a spade a spade. How I need You to show me how to live!

PONDER: Matthew 22:1-14 describes the kingdom of heaven and likens God to a king whose son was going to be married. How does this parable show impartiality yet also shows God’s attitude toward sin?

 

 

Having God’s heart . . .

 

READ 1 Samuel 15–18

The people wanted a king and Samuel selected Saul who was tall and good-looking. After Saul disobeyed God and was rejected as king, Samuel almost made the same mistake. The Lord told him to pick another, this time from a family of eight sons. He nearly picked the tall, good-looking one, but God directed him to David. David happened to be easy on the eyes too, but that was not God’s criteria for the next king.

The Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

The heart of David soon showed up in his attitude and actions. On an important day in his life, Saul hid among the baggage. On another important day, David was doing what his father asked him and heard Goliath, the giant who fought for the Philistine enemies, and saw the fear in God’s people. David asked “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” and was told that person would be given great riches, the king’s daughter, and freedom for his father’s house.

As impressive as those rewards might have been, David was more concerned that this giant was defying God’s army. He went to Saul and offered to fight the giant.

Of course Saul responded that he was just a boy, but David knew he was capable. He said, “Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God . . . The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”

Saul tried to fit him with armor but David rejected what he was not familiar using and took what he had — a sling and a few stones. He said to the Philistine:

“You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hand.” (17:45–47)

This shepherd boy could have been an ambitious, reckless young man who wanted to grandstand and make a name for himself. However, he was not ambitious for himself but for the glory of the Lord. He later made mistakes, but repented knowing that he served God, not himself, and for that, he was called a man after God’s own heart.

This is a daily, continual challenge. It requires the attitude of “not my will but thine be done” but also the seeking of God’s will. He reveals it in His Word and most of it is challenging. For instance, in Christian groups, prayer is often for health even though the Bible gives reasons for sickness, or comfort even though the Bible tells us to “count it all joy” when we face trials and problems. The will of God is that I be like Jesus, and to be transformed into His image, like Him I must “learn obedience through suffering” and see the hard stuff of life as His shaping tools, not ask Him to remove them.

David had an amazing attitude. When Saul repeatedly tried to kill him, he avoided death but didn’t strike back because he respected “God’s anointed” and waited for the Lord to change his circumstances. He accepted chastening when it was due, not trying to get out from under God’s thumb.

This past week handed us the vicious murder of a friend. I shouted NO for part of the day, but my faith in the sovereignty of God eventually changed that protest to WHY? And then to “What is Your will in this and how can I pray that Your will be done?”

The Spirit of God is like that; He wants compliance not complaining, patience not protest, a bended knee rather than a bed of tears. David sets an example. God is not cruel. He has good reasons for what He allows. He can stop events from happening, if that is His will. But if not, I cannot accuse Him of being heartless, or let the Goliaths in my mind defeat my faith. Jesus died for sin, even the worst of sin. He could have stopped it, but that was not His choice. I don’t have that power, but in Christ I do have the choice to say, “Not my will but thine be done.”