Find Commonality In Christ When You can't Find Common Ground

SCRIPTURE:

“Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.”

OBSERVATION:

What jumps out as I read this is how easy it is to fall into a judgmental mindset.  Even the best of us can fall prey to an exclusive/elitist type of religion.  I say religion because I don’t think it is Christianity at that point.  It is definitely not the church at it best when we see people’s flaws with an eye of judgement rather than their spiritual condition with a heart of compassion.  It is not our finest moment when we limit people by their flaws rather than releasing people into their future.  

Moral issues, our pasts, our hurts, our lack can all be extremely hard to get past and work through.  The church has the potential to be agents of change and empowerment if we can embrace people with the vision, love, and compassion of people.  

It is even worse when the issue is a man made barrier built on ignorance and malice - issues like racism, sexism, elitism, etc..  To exclude someone from a community of faith or to limit somebody’s spiritual potential, ministry potential, etc. because of ethnicity, gender, or socioeconomic status is a horrible atrocity.  The church should be a place where all people of of backgrounds have a level playing field, where all people are unified, not because of skin color or an anatomical kinship, but because of our commonality in Christ - our common acknowledgement that we are all in desperate need of a savior, we are all saved by grace, we are all loved by God in spite of ourselves, and are all interdependent by God’s design.

APPLICATION:

I need to keep a close watch on my heart to not build walls up that segregate people in my mind.  Wisdom and godliness require me to know people, to understand limitations, and to establish healthy boundaries in order for God’s people to live together in peace, safety, and healthy relationships.  Boundaries allow people healthy interaction while walls segregate and say these are the “haves” while these are the “have-nots” - “These are “valuable” while these are “expendable”.  I need the Holy Spirit to help me establish healthy boundaries and avoid building walls.

PRAYER:

Father, thank you for accepting me.  Your love has never failed me.  You have a vision for my life - you have to because there is know reason for me to have the great life and privileges that I have had otherwise.  I have reached potential farther than my own vision for my life.  Help me to be like you as I work with others.  To have godly vision for their lives and build with them.  In Jesus name, AMEN!