We Are Children of God

How many of us can honestly claim to follow, with any consistency, Paul's admonition in Phil. 2:3: "in humility consider others better than yourselves" (NIV)?

The era of oppressive colonialism may be over. Literal slavery may be history in most of the world. And officially sanctioned segregation may be rare. But bigotry is still far from dead--and it's not confined to extremists who spew hatred and advocate brutality. Nor is it always a matter of one ethnic group or social class considering itself too good to associate with another; the "I'm better than they are" attitude can manifest itself in a thousand ways. When someone is trying to maneuver a wheelchair through a narrow door ahead of us, and we fume because our time is being wasted; when we look at the homeless person on the street, or the arrogant teenager in the store, and see an annoyance rather than a human being; even when we're tempted to push past a dozen people "just like us" and grab the first place in line--we are in effect declaring ourselves a superior breed. One doesn't have to show consideration and compassion to one's inferiors!

If Christ had harbored that attitude, He never would have left Heaven for earth. Indeed, He spent most of His earthly ministry in conflict with people who did harbor that attitude and who "muttered, 'This man welcomes sinners and eats with them'" (Luke 15:2). It wasn't the "bad apples" and the "rejects," but the pious, and "respectable" types--the "good" people--who most hated the Epitome of true moral perfection. The puncturing of their superiority bubbles was more than their pride could take.

The Crucifixion is the ultimate proof that "little" attitudes of superiority can grow into monstrous evils.

We are children of God, whether black or white,
All of us equal in His sight.

We are children of God, whether rich or poor,
All of us standing at His door.

We are children of God, whether young or old,
All who are gathered into His fold.

We are children of God; we must not despise
Other souls precious in His eyes.

Roll Call

Today the U. S. celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Some of you reading this probably remember King's time well. Perhaps some of you were even active in the civil rights movement--or were among those who squirmed in disgust when the idea that "all schools, restaurants, public transports, etc., belong to all Americans" became official.

The need to feel "too good to associate with" certain others seems inherent in human nature. Those of us who don't look down on others' skin color usually find some other "inferiority" criterion: income level; education; family background--or even others' being "less respectable" Christians than ourselves. That last is no more than a Christianized Pharisaism "confident of its own righteousness and looking down on everybody else" (cf. Luke 18:9-14), including fellow Christians who associate with "disrespectable" types. Those of us tempted to indulge such attitudes should remember who drew Jesus's fiercest criticism in the days of His earthly ministry.

"When the roll is called up yonder," no doubt most of us will be surprised at some of those who make it into the Kingdom. But we can prepare ourselves here on earth by resisting the temptation to write anyone else off.

Especially in a group.

The teacher is calling the class to order:
"Dianne; Miguel; Katara; James"--
Each one in his place, each one in her corner;
The teacher has records of all of their names.

And none of them chooses the others' places,
And none can have another banned;
The teacher has names for each of their faces,
The teacher tells each where to sit or to stand.

They may be strangers each one to the others;
They may have faces of different shades;
They all came from different fathers and mothers:
The teacher keeps records of each of their grades.

And some will be smart and some be slow learners,
Some get straight As, some barely pass;
But whatever brews in their mental burners,
They all remain members of one single class.

And some are poor and some are wealthy;
And some are happy, some hardly at all;
And some are frail and some extremely healthy;
But all are equal when the roll is called.

The Teacher is calling us all to follow:
"Salome; Ruth; Paul; Philip; James"--
Each one from his work, each one from her hollow;
The Teacher makes records of each of their names.

And none of them chooses another's calling,
And none can say who else may come;
The Teacher sends gifts on each of them falling;
The Teacher records what each student has done.

They may be strangers each one to the others;
They may have come from a thousand lands:
They all are God's children, whomever their mothers:
The Teacher alone says where everyone stands.

And some followed Him since they were mere toddlers,
Some welcomed Him in the prime of youth,
And some were snatched from the fire as codgers,
But all remain children of He Who is Truth.

And some were poor and some were wealthy;
Some found life happy, some hardly at all;
And some were sickly, some extremely healthy;
But all are equal when the roll is called.