"In truth I
perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him
and works righteousness is accepted by Him." (Acts 10:34-35 NKJ)
At some point across
the span of life, all of us have been left out or excluded from some group or
activity. We all know how it feels to receive the brunt of another person's
partiality. We may shrug it off nonchalantly, but we know that it hurts and is wrong.
The wise teacher of
Proverbs wrote, "To show partiality is not good, Because for a piece of
bread a man will transgress" (Proverbs 28:21 NKJ). Human beings are so
fickle that we change our minds, or can be bribed to do so, for a piece of
bread. The one who is our favorite today may be the one we sell out tomorrow
for the price of bread.
While this Proverb
is only a general truth and not absolute in every person's life, it is scary to
think that I could be so capricious. And it's me that I worry about. I want to
be conformed to the image of God's son (Romans 8:29). I want
to be free from every addictive entanglement (Hebrews 12:1-2). And
Jesus commanded his followers to "love your neighbor as
yourself."
The Apostle Peter
learned this lesson
in Joppa. It was confirmed in Capernaum at the home of Cornelius. If God has "cleansed" someone, then
who am I to pronounce that person "uncceptable?" If God has
"cleansed" a person, than all my judgments to the contrary will not
change God's cleansing.
Every person who
fears God is accepted by him. Every person who practices a righteous lifestyle
is accepted by him. Our national citizenship doesn't matter to God. Our culture
doesn't matter to God. Our racial and ancestral heritage doesn't matter to God.
What matters to God is this: do we reverently fear him? Do we live a lifestyle
that practices his righteousness? God's only favorites are his righteous
children.
Dear Father, thank
you for adopting me as your child. Enable me to accept all whom you have
cleansed by the blood of the Crucified Christ. I pray this in the name of
Jesus. AMEN
Who is acceptable in
your eyes? What does God say?
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