Getting Off The Sidelines

My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?

For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes.  If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, “You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor”—well, doesn’t this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives?  James 2:1-4

Like many of you, I have watched the past election with a lot of emotions.  My wife has watched the toll it took on me, and some of the frustration and anger that at times has overcome me.  We’ve been praying about it, and she has been truly my better half through it.  I once told a friend years ago that peaceful times in my life meant that God was ready to rock my world.  Well, consider that prophecy fulfilled, and I am glad He is still active in my life.  It was helpful that I focused on what was at the heart of my frustration.  It was more than an election and who won and lost.  It was my friends who were at times ‘proud’ of what had happened.  It was as if one major part of the equation had totally been missed out.  There is a reason a choice is called ‘the lesser of two evils.’  The point is it is still ‘evil.’  It was then God made my call clear.  That I could not stand on the sidelines. I needed to voice those feelings and emotions constructively, and articulate what many are now seeing unfold first hand.

As a Christian, we can never accept discrimination of any kind.  Period.  Many have focused on words and rhetoric saying those things do not matter, and those offended need to toughen up.  I have a picture in my head of Jesus hearing that, and saying, “Really?”  There is no debating the events of last week, and for us to continue that discussion is unproductive.   What God would want is for us to focus on Him, and respond forward and accordingly.  This is where I am today.  If you are one of those saying people need to deal with it, I challenge you to ask yourselves are you dealing with it the right way?  Do you ask the question why, and as a friend of God, are you being empathetic toward that person?  And if the result was not to your liking, are you asking yourself what God wants from you?  Do you pray how you can respond both Godly and yet firmly?  Do you trust He is in control?  And no matter who you chose, how can we love our brothers and sisters while encouraging them toward holy reconciliation?  I know there are a lot of questions, but if we ask God the right questions and our hearts are truly His, surely He will guide us toward the right answer!

All because the world won a battle providing us two unacceptable choices does not mean we have lost a war.  To be clear, the overwhelming majority of us understand discrimination is unacceptable, and that is something we should be proud of.  However, we must make this crystal clear as well.  Discrimination is never acceptable.  Not in words.  Not in deeds.  Not ever!  Let’s say to each other, “No.  This will not happen again.”  My prayer is that as God’s children, we stand up to discrimination and get off the sidelines!  Amen.