It goes beyond the "whosoever believes" of our salvation. Jesus demonstrated Father's attitude toward the unseen people of the world. These are the people who are easily ignored, disfavoured, trodden upon. Jesus took great delight in putting the spotlight on these people because that is what Father does. He lowers what is getting too much attention and lifts up what is not getting enough so that there is equality. Just read 1 Corinthians 12.
In the previous posts titled "Touch" I pointed out Jesus' treatment of the leprous man and how he did not just speak the healing but purposefully touched him. Jesus knew he had authority over this disease but he did it to make a point in a culture that isolated this poor suffering man. Now consider those who he chose to hang out with him, who he called to leadership.
This Jewish culture had a lot of prejudices. It wasn't just with the Romans, Greeks, and Samaritans but people within their own group. Galileans were a rough, hardy, determined working class of people. They did not pursue the book learning and finer aspects of life but instead were the fishermen and farmers of the day. They were highly educated in their own right but not recognized by the rest of society. They put food on people's tables but were also the butt of jokes.
Consider that Jesus chose people like Peter, James and John from this looked-down upon people. In fact, these three became his inner circle. They were so prominent that the whole group of disciples were considered Galileans. That was meant to be a derogatory label. It is not exactly a move that someone would make when trying to establish their ministry. Today we would only choose the best looking, best educated, most talented, most widely accepted people to help us reach success. Jesus was making a point that everyone in the Kingdom is valued and that Father has purpose for each person no matter the opinions of culture. But it was not just Galileans he chose.
Tax collectors were considered traitors. They were local agents of the occupying force. They not only forcefully collected the tax of this occupying army but they also took extra for themselves. So here is Jesus throwing all convention to the wind, choosing Matthew to be one of his students and future pillar of the Church. Remember the Church is the manifestations of God's Kingdom on earth, and we are that Church. Can I belabour this for a minute more?
In most churches today they have a standard for leadership and acceptability. Leaders must be professionals, highly esteemed and educated. They must be beyond reproach. Depending on the culture of that church, leadership is chosen from an acceptable group within their church. There is a lot of prejudice involved and the denial of the anointing. Father does not choose according to human ability, race, creed, education, good looks or colour. Also consider for a moment that Matthew, traitor to his nation, was also highly favored by being chosen to write one of the four gospels. Jesus saw him as he sees everyone else, marked for redemption. Everyone has value. But Jesus is not done yet.
Consider Judas. He was a Zealot. The Zealots wanted to throw off the Romans by force. This is not an attitude that would line up well with the tenants of the Kingdom. Not only that but Judas had a tendency to steal, placing his own needs above those of the community he belonged to. Jesus knew him. Jesus knew his heart. But Jesus showed value for every person he met. He knew that Judas had the same potential for redemption, the same potential for love, the same potential for grace. Judas' failure is his own. People will fail us. That is no reflection on their people group but on them as an individual.
This could be one of the most challenging things about overcoming prejudices in our life. We cannot afford to look at people with the eyes of this world. To love, respect and honour everyone we need to see with Father's eyes. We need to see the unseen that lay within each person. We have this ability to see. Since we are a new creation we have been given the seeds in us to bear Father's image, to see like him, to think like him. As Scripture tells us, we have the mind of Christ.
The way we overcome is first to confess our desire to love and respect like our Father has loved and respected us. It is a life of surrender, where we surrender our old way of seeing, thinking, feeling and understanding. So when we know we are getting it wrong we confess it and then surrender it. This allows Spirit God to overwrite the old habits with Father's heart. If we try to deny the old habits nothing will change but when we bring the old into the light then everything shifts.
Does your selection of friends demonstrated the value Father places on all people? Maybe you need to have a conversation with Spirit God on this one.
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