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James 2:1-4 "Help for Those Who Need It"

It’s tempting to think we should learn not to notice the ways we are different from each other. If only we could train our ears not to hear people’s accents. If only we could train our eyes not to see skin color. If only we could train our brains not to realize that some people have more money than they can use, while others lack even enough for tonight’s dinner.

Sure, it’d be simpler just not to realize that we are different, but Christ’s body is a celebration of diversity, not a denial. It’s not the differences that cause problems; the trouble is what we do about them. When we notice differences, do we treat people differently? Do we decide that some people are more valuable, or more loved, or more welcome than others?

People bring their gifts to God in every language, from every heritage, and from every economic status. We are different, but we share this in common: God celebrates us, loves us, and values us all equally. We need to do the same.

 

By Nikki Finkelstein-Blair from d365.org

UMC

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