No Favorites

God does not show favoritism.

Peter made this clear in the book of Acts.

Acts 10:34-35 (NET) - Then Peter started speaking: “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism in dealing with people, but in every nation the person who fears him and does what is right is welcomed before him.

That is good news.

As people, we tend to allow our human biases to get in the way of what actually matters.

Our concept of fairness and God’s could not possibly be farther apart.

Here, Peter understood that a person who is in awe of God and does what He deems right is welcome.

It does not matter where in the world that person lives.

It does not matter how much money that person makes.

It does not matter how much power that person wields.

In the verses that follow, Peter speaks of who Jesus is and what He had done.

Acts: 10:36-38 (NET) - You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all)— you know what happened throughout Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John announced: with respect to Jesus from Nazareth, that God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with him.

Peter also spoke of His crucifixion and what happened afterward.

Acts 10:39-43 (NET) - We are witnesses of all the things he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him up on the third day and caused him to be seen, not by all the people, but by us, the witnesses God had already chosen, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to warn them that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. About him all the prophets testify, that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

In a way, these words might seem contradictory.

How can God not show favoritism and still choose Peter and the others as witnesses?

Personally, I think part of the answer lies in how they were chosen.

Scripture tells us that those who saw Jesus after his resurrection did not recognize him right away.

When Mary went to the empty tomb, she thought Jesus was the gardener.

When John and those with him went fishing, they thought he was just a man standing on the shore.

As two of them walked on the road to Emmaus, they thought he was just another traveler.

Even Thomas doubted until he could actually see and touch His wounds.

In short, God chose them but they did not respond immediately.

Jesus had to be revealed to them.

Day after day, the real Jesus is revealed to more and more people.

Some we ourselves would choose.

Some we might not.

Sometimes we look at those chosen and think to ourselves, “That doesn’t seem fair.”

Fortunately, God’s concept of fairness and ours are not the same.

God sacrificed His Only Son for us.

That same Son willingly laid down His life for us.

Let’s be honest.

Would we honestly consider that fair?

As Jesus is revealed to others, let us not question.

Instead, let us rejoice.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, January 20, 2017.

I will be back here on Friday, January 27, 2017