Session Three: Day Four- The Folly Of Favoritism

"You can safely assume that you have created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do" Anne Lamott

Oh how accurate is Beth as she takes us through a day that forces us to look into the mirror of our hearts and acknowledge that our tendencies are to treat people differently.  Whether that is our intent or not, it seeps out of our very pores, spilling over into areas of our life where me might not even notice.

Humans are naturally drawn towards others in the same spot in life.  I tend to spend time with other women in my same economic status, with kids about the same age or have friends with the same interests and beliefs as I do.  So it's very interesting to go through the scriptures on page 88 and see over and over what God has to say about justice, judging and favoritism.  And to be clear, having friends who share the same interest or are like me isn't necessarily the same as judging others for not being like me.  However, I think if we aren't careful, those lines could easily be blurred.

When we read James 2:4, if we discriminate what do we become?

Judges with evil thoughts.  This is where that caution has to come into play.  I love the people who I call dear friends right now.  I now that God placed them into my life for me and me into their lives for them.  BUT, daily I need to make sure that I am open to others that He might bring into my life for a season or forever especially and even if it seems we have nothing in common or if they have habits or hygiene or children who rub me the wrong way.  My goal as an authentic believer is to be open to impacting their lives but also for them to be able to impact my life.

Jill:  Guided by evil motives (NLT).  This is interesting to me.  I guess I never thought of myself as having evil motives before by judges people.  But I guess it is true, I am constantly comparing myself to others, which also included judging them.  Why are you wearing this or that, it is totally inappropriate to wear this or that to work, to church, walking down colfax, etc etc etc.  When someone comes up to me begging for money, I assume all of them are faking it and just wanting free money, I judge them.  I realize now that it is evil, I dont know what is going on in their lives, I think I put them down to lift myself up.  Sad really, that I need to do that.

God promises the poor that they will be blessed more than anyone. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 explains that this is the promise God gave so that those who have more cannot boast it over anyone.  Throughout scripture God tells us over and over that the meek will inherit the earth, the poor will be made rich, etc.  It's incredibly important that we be open and available to serve those humbly who have less than us in whatever capacity God calls us to do so.  I don't want to be a part of a "Spiritually Elite" group who has forgotten all that scripture says about reaching the poor and lost.

What feelings surface when you somehow feel dishonored?  How might those feelings translate to those dishonored over their poverty? 
I feel angry, embarrassed and a need to run and hide.  Walls immediately go up and I turn my back on whomever has made me feel that way.  It's incredibly hard to get over.  Thinking about this made me go back over the folders in my mind and interactions that I have had with those I know who live in poverty or with a lower standard than I have been blessed with.  While there are many people I can pat myself on the back for because I cared for them or welcomed them into my home, there are just as many that I said the stiff hello to in the halls of church and walked away from as quickly as I could.  It isn't something I'm proud of at all, but the reason I'm doing this study is to take that hard look in the mirror and make those changes (Anyone else now have the Man in the Mirror lyrics in their head?)


Jill: I get angry immediately.  I too am not proud of my past interactions with people.  I get annoyed easily with others.  I feel really bad about that.   When I think about how my angry feels might translate to those dishonored over their poverty, it reminds me of being young.  I grew up poor,  luckily in my neighborhood we were all in the same boat, same as others in my family.  Then when I went to high school (Catholic high schools let you choose any catholic school you want to go to no matter where in the city it is from your house).  So in high school I was for the 1st time around kids with money.  They looked down at the kids from my grade school, as they knew were from the poor part of town.  So I can relate to those feeling, but I pushed them back in the corners of my mind.  

Your turn.  How did today's lesson impact you?

Jill:  I love how God chooses the less fortunate of people so no one can boast.  LOVE that