Your Daily Devotional for July 1, 2006

 

July 1, 2006

 

Developing God’s Heart for People

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

“My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.”

 

James 2:1

 

How can we develop God’s heart for all people? How can we see people the way God sees them? Everyone has a paradigm of certain people that we have had to work to overcome. Your first thought of someone you see may be tainted with your own past history. Sometimes, we can pass judgment on someone based on their looks, what they drive, where they work, or how they talk.  

 

Every one of us who are saved has been chosen by God. John 15:16 says, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”  We should never look down on someone that God has chosen to save.

 

A professor in a world-acclaimed medical school once posed this medical situation and ethical question to his students. “Here’s the family history: The father has syphilis. The mother has TB. They have already had four children. The first is blind. The second died. The third is deaf. The fourth has TB. Now the mother is pregnant again. The parents come to you for advice. They are willing to have an abortion, if you decide they should. What do you say?”

 

The students gave various individual opinions, and then the professor asked them to break into small groups for discussion. All of the groups came back to report that they would recommend abortion. “Congratulations,” the professor said, “You just took the life of Beethoven!”

 

The term “brethren” used in the book of James refers to the equality that we have in Jesus Christ. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. We need to treat one another with preference and love and equality in the way we respect one another. The Lord is no respect of persons. He loves every one of us equally. Thank God for that. He placed the ultimate value on every soul. Because of His love for every one of us in this world, He went to Calvary. Your soul and mine are no more valuable to the Lord than a little boy in Iraq.

 

“Lord, help me not to see others through the paradigm of my past life’s experience but help me to see others through the lens of Your Word. Help me to see others the way you see them, as my brothers and sisters in Christ.”

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