4:344 – Equal And Different

#faithbites #faithjourney equal

Setting

Today we are celebrating my eldest’s birthday at school. She wanted Dairy Queen Dilly Bars. Next week will celebrate my youngest’s half birthday but she wants Little Debbie Cakes. I’m treating them equally but differently. Some people want you to be very direct while others want you to be more soft-spoken. Both approaches can work and have the same impact. The trick comes in knowing how people want to be treated and treating them that way. The differences that they bring aren’t bad or good, just different. Having to adapt and be open to other experiences helps us to be stronger and more versatile for whatever God has planned. God wants us to be equal and created us differently to serve a purpose.

Today’s Questions: What does being equal mean to you? How do you treat others equally but differently based on their needs and experiences?

Scripture

• 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 – “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptised by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.”
• Colossians 1:16-17 – “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”
• James 2:1-4 – “My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favouritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, ‘Here’s a good seat for you,’ but say to the poor man, ‘You stand there’ or ‘Sit on the floor by my feet,’ have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?”

Reflection

I have had the issue where I try to discipline my daughters in the same way. Well, let’s say that backfired. They both need discipline and structure but need me to act differently to reach them where they are. God tells us that we are created differently to meet different needs. You wouldn’t ask a plumber about your diabetes, would you? He wants us to respect differences and not show favoritism. We are all created equally in Jesus. This is a simple statement but has a dramatic impact on how we live if we really look at it. No one is righteous, no one is perfect. We are all sinners, becoming who God wants us to be. We need to be loved, supported, and cherished.

As we close, let’s think about diversity and equality in a new light. Being equal, or being treated equally doesn’t mean being treated the same. It means being treated where you are respected, loved, and appreciated for who you are and the uniqueness you bring.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, you told us to love our neighbors as ourselves. We ask you to help us love them in a way that understands their uniqueness. Help us to be fair and equal in all our doings while respecting how our neighbors are built. Let us continue to build relationships by maximinging our strengths and overcoming our weaknesses. You created us this way on purpose. Let us see that purpose and work towards fulfilling your plan, together.