Tuesday, February 13, 2024

Listen to the Word

“Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.” (Acts 10:34-35)

Favoritism is part of how the world works. People who are wealthy or well-connected or athletic or pretty or well-dressed have some perks that others don’t have. A person’s skin color or age can be factors in what privileges they experience. Most of us have certain kinds of people we’d prefer to be friends with, or certain kinds of people we’d rather sit beside on an airplane.

If we hadn’t read Acts 10, we might have assumed that God also shows favoritism. It would seem logical to think he would prefer spiritual and kind people over irreligious, mean ones. We might think that he would have a preference for people of a certain nationality or political party. But there it is in black and white in today’s Scripture: “God does not show favoritism.” His grace extends to all.

Live the Word

Ask God to give you an opportunity today to be patient and kind with someone who isn’t normally your favorite kind of person.