Thoughts for another day

July 10, 2008

Today's verse: James 2:1. My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

Some years ago I went to a church down south India. I noticed benches/pews only at the rear of the church and a large amount of vacant space between them and the altar. I asked why the space was vacant and was told that the church’s membership consisted of sharply divided social backgrounds. On the one hand were the poor and illiterate and on the other hand, were the well-heeled ones. No prizes of course for guessing who sat on the floor in the vacant space and who, on the benches.

I found it odd. Probing further I was told that those who sat on the floor had no objection; instead they were very comfortable (in any case, they hardly sat on chairs/or even had chairs in their homes). So the priests had decided for the sake of the congregation’s ‘comfort’, to have this manner of sitting! What problem do I have, you may ask, if no one else seems to have a problem?

But I ask you, a Christian brother or sister, don’t you find this stupid. In our walk with the Lord as our Brother, we the church being His body, and I mean all of us, aren’t we equal in His sight. The Bible also suggests that those who are big should support the lesser ones. In the above practice, or even those we see in our churches and other places where we congregate for worship, we see favoritism or extra muscle being given to the rich. The Pastor, who has no time for you, when you go to meet him, has all the time for the man in the swank car who just drops by to seek a favor. He is all ears for him and even tells you how good the gentleman is to the church as he regularly funds the kitchen (where the meals come for this Pastor).

Maybe we can’t do much about the favoritism or partiality we see. But, there’s some thing we can do. That is, stop being unfair ourselves. Would it be possible for us to see all in the same light? It’s difficult, but possible. Just a wee bit of practice needed. When you stop expecting anything from those well endowed or others in authority, you can wear this nature. It’s God after all, who gives us everything and man is only His conduit. So our trust has to be in God, not man. This will ensure that you treat everybody equally, thus glorifying God, not man.