Fiendish Favoritism
Done in the dark but not hidden from God
If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.James 2:8-13
Everyone has a bias! Any person who states that they do not, is misleading themselves. We are biased to many preferences:
- color
- food
- music
- sports
- culture
- ethnicity
- politics
There is a meme floating around that says the following: It`s not denial; I`m just very selective about the reality I accept.
Unfortunately, we Christians pridefully proclaim their biases as preferences. Some may be biological in nature, so they receive a higher level of worship. There is not better word to describe when biases garner an altar in the center of our hearts.
"You shall have no other gods before me. "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.Exodus 20:3-6
One of the most blatant biases in the beginning of the year, in America, is for the New England Patriots to avoid making it through the playoffs and potentially winning another Super Bowl. There is nothing wrong with despising cheating, but more often than not, skill warrants a successful season. Even if it was not the Patriots playing, there would be a bias. Most would say it is fun and games, but sport allegiance brings out the worst in us.
Political bias is one of the ugliest forms of bias that is present for the greater part of the year! Red or blue, Conservative or Liberal, Republican or Democrat and Patriot or Communist. Politics is the line of demarcation between the civil and contemptible.
The term bipartisanship only highlights the ineptitude of common politics because it gives the illusion of unity despite the diversity. The fact the two parties can halt progress yields the bad fruit of bias and favoritism. Government shutdowns, rigged elections and voter fraud are the products of a system ruled by biased individuals sold out to anything but the truth. Citizens suffer, many die, because of the tumult of political bias.
Ethnocentrism is the seed that becomes the fruit for most biases. Ethnocentrism is the high dollar word for racism, the practice of exalting one ethnic group over another. Black pride and White Supremacy are of the same feather. One cannot divorce racism, separatism from either view.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.Galatians 3:28
Even in the church is the stronghold of racism. It happens in almost every church at some level. It is racism if you believe, without question, another person solely because they share the same ethnicity as you. One of the worst concepts being promoted in the church is the idea that diversity is a good thing. It allows Christians to worship their culture and color rather than focus as One Body with One Purpose.
Instead, one culture/color gets elevated above another for the sake of inclusiveness over unity. Worse, the church then chastises another color/culture as though their existence had undermined the existence/plans of God. To hear the phrase “White Privilege“ uttered in the church is one of the most destructive and irreverent practices. In an effort to appease the covetousness of one community, blaming God for creating the other community, the way He did, dominates the airwaves.
Conferences are created to bully people into showing favoritism as though regular Christian living was not enough to bridge the gaps created because of racism. Recognizing/elevating the other community is a form of idolatry in the church and fuels it in the heart of the elevated community. A sense of entitlement ensues and the well-intended healing never occurs. Why? Because the church keeps opening the wound while inflicting more.
The ministry of racial reconciliation is like trying to stitch someone with a scalpel. More cuts are created in the process and the White Community bleeds in order to heal the Black community. There is no Biblical justification for this. Mutilating Whites is another form of racism. Singling out Whites as the only reason Blacks haven't succeeded widens the gap and fuels the flames for animosity and bitterness.
Piety bias is another tragedy because it, also, happens within the sanctums of various religions. This is most disturbing because it infers a sense of spiritual superiority over others. Physical Death is the only true testimony as the end of a journey in faith, yet many people walk this Earth as though they have arrived.
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.1 Corinthians 12:4-7
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,Ephesians 4:11-12
Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.Galatians 6:2-3
All the above passages hint to one message: building up the team! But the individual players are not based on ethnicity, pedigree nor finances! It is based on their Spiritual Gift to help others along for the purpose of glorifying God! Bearing the burden of another does not constitute enabling their sin! “What sin is the church enabling?“ you may ask.
Pride, hatred, coveting and theft. When people are discontent with the lives that God has given them, they are focusing on what others have. When they focus on what others have, they internally and visibly express their displeasure. When they vocalize their displeasure, steps are taken to rectify or appease the pain. Often, those steps include taking from someone else, who most likely worked for what they have, and giving it to the person who didn’t work for it.
To make restitution for the sins of the past, more sins are created in the guise of inclusivity. The sins of the past can be remembered to not repeat. Yet, recalling it to repair only rehashes a pain that should have long been removed.
If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." ... Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.Romans 12:18-19, 21
