James 2:1-13 Favoritism and Discrimination

James 2:1-13 NIV
To show favoritism to one means to discriminate against another. James warns against showing favoritism. Sadly, we see this way too often. People are discriminated against for their race, their sex (that includes both males and females), age, where they work or if they don't, how they dress. The list goes on and on.

I admit that there have been times in the past when I have purposely dressed down just to see if security would follow me around through particular stores. They do. In fact, I have been followed around even when I thought I was clothed all right. Not sure why; but, every now and then someone thinks that I might look suspect. On the other hand, if I wear my clergy collar, I almost always get a lot of friendly greetings no matter where I am.

Years ago, when kayaking the shores of Lake Superior, I pulled up on the shore of a town that I had visited often in the past. They had known me as a pastor and had been very friendly to me when they had welcomed me in that capacity. This time; however, they apparently did not recognize me. I had been on the water for about a month and was wearing an old pair of Marine fatigues over my swimsuit. My hair was a ratted mess hanging out from under a baseball cap. I looked pretty forlorn. I needed to use a phone as there was no cell connection. I was not welcomed well. It took forever to find a pay phone as no one apparently had a phone that I could use to let my family know where I was.

When encountering others, it would do us all well to heed the words written by St. James, "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?" (vs 3-4)

God's Peace - Pr. J

John 7:9-24 Judging By Appearances

John 7:9-24 NIV
After letting his brothers think that he will not be going to the Festival of Booths, Jesus goes anyway. Without making his presence public, he was able to hear and observe the people there. There were those who were looking for him. There was a lot of whispering about him, but no one dared speak too openly. In other words, they were telling secrets; they were gossiping about Jesus. Then, in the middle of the Festival he makes his presence known by going into the temple and teaching. More whisperings... More judgments...

Years ago, while on a kayaking journey, I stopped in a small town to buy some food and to find a pay phone to call my husband as there had been no cell service for some time. It was a resort town where I had actually been known and quite welcome in the community just a few years before. Well, this time, I was not wearing my pastor's clothes. I was wearing a tank top and camouflaged pants over my swimsuit with a dingy, red and blue hat covering my long, unbrushed, hair. I admit that I looked pretty bad as I had been on the water for a few days. I was recognized by only one person who greeted me quite well. However, most couldn't see past my wardrobe and did not recognize me. It took three businesses before someone would even point me to the pay phone. I've only been back to that community when I had to go for work. It's just not worth the trip for me to be with people who would judge others by their appearances.

Not long ago, I walked into a smaller, local, department store with my teen-age granddaughter during school hours. She was heading to the make-up aisle and I was going to the grocery aisles. As we entered I noticed two clerks (I found out later one was a supervisor) watching us and whispering. It just sort of felt like they were talking about us. I went to the grocery aisle while my granddaughter went to the make-up aisle. As we split up, the supervisor immediately followed my granddaughter. She later told me that the woman had asked her: "Can I help you?" When she answered. "No, thanks," The manager then asked her, "Are you sure I can't help you?" Again, she replied, "No, I've got it." Again, she was asked, "Are you sure?" My granddaughter got her makeup quickly and came and found me. She was being discriminated against because she was a teen. I now avoid going into that store with or without my granddaughter. There are other business around where their employees don't follow my granddaughter through the store; that don't judge her by her appearance.

The reality is that people will and do judge by appearances. I tend to stay away from businesses that discriminate against someone because of their appearance. There will always be people around us who judge by appearances. We may like to deny that such blatant discrimination exists. But, jumping to false conclusions based on what one looks like is actually pretty common. It takes too much work for most people to actually listen to someone and to get to know them. It is much easier to judge them on their appearance and whisper about them behind their backs.

They whispered about Jesus and eventually, the whisperings (gossip) helped hang him on the cross. The people believed a lie and called out "Crucify Him."

God's Peace - Pr. J

Psalm 58 - Judge With Equity (Child Custody)

"Do you rulers indeed speak justly?  Do you judge people with equity? No, in your heart you devise injustice, and your hands mete out violence on the earth." (Psalm 58:1-2 NIV)

I have just finished reading three different newspapers online and my response is "No, our rulers do not speak justly.  No, the people are not judged with equity."

Discrimination, by officials, who have been called to lead our various countries is pretty rampant.  I read an article regarding an official in Hungary who wanted all Jews to be screened for security risks.  If that is not racial profiling, I don't know what is.  The people, were rightly protesting this.  It's not going anywhere (hopefully).  But, the attitude is out there.  Christians are profiled in some countries.  Muslims in others.  Where does it end?  When will our world's leaders learn to speak justly and judge the people with equity?

Closer to home....  As civilized as the United States purportedly is, there is one travesty, that completely amazes me that still exists.  It is the propensity for judges to discriminate against men when it comes to child custody cases.  For some reason, a goodly number of people in this country, still think that mothers make the best parents.  It takes a whole lot of fighting in court, a whole lot of money to get the best lawyers, for a father to get joint custody.  Then the mothers complain that the case was won by the father because he had more money than she did.  The reality is that if the fathers had not been willing to fight (sometimes taking loans out to procure an attorney) to protect their children and their childrens' futures; if they had not been willing to spend years in court to protect their own rights as a father and their children's rights to live in a safe and happy home, the courts (in many cases) would have arbitrarily favored the mother. 

I am not saying that all fathers make the best parent.  I am saying that our court systems could work a whole lot harder at judging between the parents with equity.  Send those "Friends of the Court" into more homes to witness the interaction between each parent and the child.  Send them in to see what the parents have in their refrigerators: milk or booz; to see if they are actually being supervised or is the parent still sleeping way into the afternoon, not because they worked the night before, but because they were busy partying. 

The family courts have come a long way in the last few decades regarding this, but they have a ways to go yet.  The best interest of the children should come first, not a mother and her imagined rights. When it comes to custody cases, men should be able to start out on the same level as the women.  Children should have the right to be treated justly and that means not left in the custody of a parent based primarily on the parent's sex, but based on the ability to love, care for, and protect that child; to put that child's needs before their own.

God's Peace - Pr. J

P.S.  I applaud those judges who do not discriminate against men in custody cases.  They are probably a majority in this country; however, where discrimination does still sneak in, the children get hurt!