They were words uttered by a mortal...but there is something that reflects the divine in the statement above.
It's deep in us...that inherent urge we have to know who is in the "us" group (and thus safe) and who is the "them" group (and thus a threat). That urge helped our most ancient ancestors survive a world of dangers...but it doesn't serve us well now...and it doesn't reflect anything of the divine.
No matter what the category is; race, political affiliation, class, neighborhood, what car you drive, whether you have kids or not, whether you are single or married...and a million others...we find ways to separate ourselves from others. In our enclave of like-minded people, we feel safe, understood, and RIGHT.
The scriptures make it clear, many many times, that this is does not reflect God's will or character.
My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favouritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? - James 2:1
Favoritism is, after all, only a kinder word for this same tendency...and we know where this tendency leads us. We've seen it in news reports all summer.
In short, being a part of the kingdom of God is a constant challenge to us, because if we take it seriously, it forces us to work every day to dismantle this tendency inside of us, and inside of the systems and structures we have built. This is part of how we build for the kingdom of God...working every day, in small ways, to make this world look as much as possible like the world to come.
Prayer:
God, soften my heart today to those I have judged as inferior. Help me to see your love poured out on those I am sure are wrong and those I am sure are different in ways I cannot accept. May your love humble me today, and gather me with all your children at the foot of your cross. Amen.
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