Christians and Discrimination

Christian Discrimination

“My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism.  
Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in.  
If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,”  
have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 
Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?  
But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?  
Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong? 
If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.  
But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.  
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.  
For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. 
Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom,  
because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!”
                       James 2:1-13
My daughter in law who attends a church that reaches out to the street people of our city told me a sad story.
The church was giving out potted flowers to the people in the church. One of the volunteers refused to give one to one of the homeless people, simply because he had no home.
I can only think how awful this person must have felt. The person was suppose to be a Christian yet showed favoritism simply because he was homeless.
My daughter in law and a few others after the service went looking for this man to give him a plant. It was something very simple but it brought a smile to the mans face.
We as Christians should never show favoritism or discriminate against anyone no matter there station in life or their lifestyle.
All too often I hear Christian evangelist and pastors in the media showing favoritism. They don’t call it that they say they are just pointing out the sin in the person. They judge and say the persons life or lifestyle is going to take them to hell. They discriminate as if one sin is worse than another.
Most of the evangelist or pastors in the media and many who are not in the media, have never taken the time to personally reach out and physically meet with people who live on the street.
They’ve never taken the time to visit the poorest people of their city. They’ve never met a gay man or for that matter a strait man. They cocoon themselves within their ministry and friends.
Thus sadly they all too often discriminate.
I hear a lot of blow hard evangelist in the media preaching against sin and the lifestyles of various groups. But I don’t see them offering in any tangible way the hand of friendship. These men and women do not emulate Jesus.
The gospel of Mark records this,
“When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the “sinners” and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” 
On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” 
                                                              Mark 2:16,17.
I wonder how many of those evangelist in the media have at any time visited the poor on the street. Have socialized with the someone from the gay and lesbian community? Yet they quite often speak out against them.
As I write this Thanksgiving is just a few days away here in Canada. Over the years we’ve opened our house to various people. Some years we’ve squeezed a dozen into our tiny house. They’ve come from all walks of life.
Quite honestly we don’t preach. We play a few games, watch a video usually a non-Christian one, but mostly we talk. It’s something anyone can do.
It is our hope however that we’ve planted seeds in the hearts of those who came out. That our guests will see the Love of Christ reflected in us.
Now I know the Talmud is a Jewish book, not a considered by Christians to be inspired by God but it gives us a truth that we can live by when it states,
“When a man appears before the Throne of Judgment, the first question he is asked is not, “Have you believed in God?”  Or “Have you prayed and observed the ritual?  “He is asked: “have you dealt honourably and faithfully in all your dealings with your fellow men?”
                                                                                                                      The Talmud
What I would ask Christians who are reading this, is to look into your heart and ask God to reveal to you if you are showing favouritism to anyone. Ask Him if you are discriminating against someone because of their lifestyle or position in life.
Ask God if you are truly dealing honourably and faithfully in all your dealings with your fellow man.
Please think about it.