Hi how are you all today? I am well. The last couple of weeks have been filled with disappointments and heartbreak. But God in His mercy and grace has led me through it onto a new path – one of hope and possibilities. If you are going through something then just keep going through, listen to God and He will set your feet on that sure path for you to follow.
This post I want to talk about the difference between discrimination and sin. In all of Jesus ministry, He didn’t discriminate against anyone but He did deal with sin.
Discrimination in the Oxford dictionary means the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of ethnicity, age, sex, or disability.
Sin in the Oxford dictionary means an immoral act considered to be a transgression against divine law.
One is an act – the other is a treatment. One is an action- the other is a behaviour. One is against God- the other is against people.
Too often in our world today, we call sin and discrimination synonyms. If we call out sin or an action in a group of people, then we are labelled as discriminating against them. Sin and discrimination are not synonyms but are words that deal with people differently. Sin is an action that is against Gods laws. Discrimination is the treatment of another persons values and identity.
Your actions are part of who you are but they are not the whole you. Sin is part of mankind due to our fallen nature. Discrimination is against our identity – who we are as a human.
Let’s look at some examples from the life of Jesus:
1. The woman caught in adultery. Jesus didn’t treat her any different from others but He definitely called out her sin and told her to sin no more.
2. The woman with the jar of perfume and Simon the dinner host. Jesus differentiated between their behaviours – one washed His feet and one didn’t but He didn’t treat them any differently based on their identity.
3. Jesus healed the lepers and touched them when others treated them badly and wouldn’t go near them.
4. Jesus validated women through His ministry and didn’t discriminate.
5. Jesus healed all who would believe regardless of their status of wealth.
6. Jesus ate with sinners and tax collectors.
Through all the encounters Jesus didn’t discriminate but He did call out sin and as a consequence called everyone to live a higher life.
How about us? Do we treat sin and discrimination as similar words? Do we love people regardless? Do we speak the truth in love or speak just the truth or only just love? We need to position ourselves in Jesus so that everyday we are speaking truth and love into peoples lives.
If we only speak truth, we will discriminate. If we only speak love, we will leave people in their sin.
This week let’s be like Jesus. It doesn’t matter what the world thinks. Let’s not discriminate – Jesus loves everyone and died for everyone so the door is open for everyone to say yes I believe in you and repent from my sin.
Have a great week and keep living the life God intended for you
Bless you
Karen
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