Respect Of Persons

How do you think of yourself?  Do you consider yourself a good model of what a Christian ought to be?  Are you striving to live as the New Testament commands?  What about how you think of other people?  Are you constantly comparing the way that you act to how other people act?  How about this?  As difficult as it may be to admit it, do you ever think of yourself as better than someone else?  When you see someone who does not have as much money than you, do you place yourself a little bit higher than him?  When you see his home, if he has one, do you automatically place a mental stigma on him?  I ask all of these questions for the purpose of making all of us think.  We may not mean any harm, but sometimes we may find ourselves violating the Law of Christ due to our respect, or lack thereof, for others. 

          At times, it is good for us to be reminded as to how God feels about such thoughts and actions.  God did not create different castes or classes of human beings.  The founders of The United States of America were correct when they concluded “that all men are created equal”.  Regardless of physical attractiveness, each person is an immortal soul created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27).  Therefore, each person is of great value.  In fact, there is nothing on Earth that is of greater value to a person than his own soul.  Jesus asked, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?  Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul” (Mark 8:36-37)? 

          Regardless of personal hygiene, scent, clothing, etc., each person is valuable to God.  We must never lose sight of that truth.  To further validate this fact, consider how much God gave so that each person could have the opportunity of everlasting life.  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:16-17).  “Whosoever” means whosoever!  Peter learned this truth at the home of Cornelius.  “Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:  But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him” (Acts 10:34-35).

          To better help us to think and behave as God would have us to do, let us notice how Jesus reacted as he interacted with other people.  First, we will notice how Jesus treated a leper.  Keep in mind that leprosy is a disease that no man wants to contract.  In the first century, lepers were ostracized from the rest of society. With that being stated, “And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.  And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will:  be thou clean” (Mark 1:40-41).  Jesus not only was willing to listen to the leper, but Jesus actually touched the man.  I can only imagine, after being treated as an outcast, how that simple act made that man feel.  Then there is the example of how Jesus ate with “publicans and sinners”.  In other words, these were individuals who had been labeled by others in society, and were largely ignored by some.  Jesus said, “…They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick:  I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Mark 2:17).

          When dealing with others, we should all remember what Jesus taught in the “Sermon on the Mount”.  “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them:  for this is the law and the prophets” (Matt. 7:12).  “The Golden Rule”, as it has been labeled, should help us to overcome any issue that we have when showing care for other people. 

          To finish, let us notice a segment of Scriptures from the book of James.  “My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.  For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:  Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?  Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?  But ye have despised the poor.  Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?  Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?  If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:  But if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors” (James 2:1-9).
~ Corey Barnette