Prejudice is a Part of the Human Condition
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I want to talk about something that makes a lot of people uncomfortable. That is the topic of prejudice. You see, I believe everyone is prejudiced towards something. It may be a preference as to where you want to live, I’m personally prejudiced against living in a major urban area. I’m prejudiced about what brand of car I drive, the foods I like and don’t like. I believe that if each of us is honest, we’ll admit to being prejudiced about something. Now the problem comes up when we are prejudiced towards other human beings. Recently our politicians have taken the fact that each of us has prejudices and have used that to drive a wedge between different members of society. Oh, they’ve learned how to use language that gives us an excuse or a ‘reason’ to dislike a certain group of people. There are ministers who actually condone such thoughts and behavior. There are ministers who actively preach against those people who are different from themselves. They call themselves Christians, but they are far from being true Christians.
So What does the bible say about Prejudice?
In the days when Jesus walked the earth Jews were forbidden to associate with people from Samaria, the Samaritans. This prohibition was based entirely on their beliefs. The animosity went back centuries, well before the time of Jesus. Jews viewed the Samaritans as a people who were unclean and who led an immoral life. That, even though their ancestors had worshipped as Moses had taught, they had become corrupted and had intermarried with non-Israelites. They were no longer considered pure and yet Jesus not only interacted with them, He made certain to make sure His disciples knew they were to be ministered to.
In John 4:9, this reality is clearly shown, when Jesus is at the well of Jacob and he encounters a Samaritan woman and asks her for a drink of water. “So the Samaritan woman *said to Him, “How is it that You, though You are a Jew, are asking me for a drink, though I am a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)
The whole story is really cool and you might want to check it out, it’s in John Chapter 4, anyway, Jesus finished talking to her and what He said resonated with her and she became convinced that He was in fact the promised Messiah. After this encounter, the woman returned to her home where she told people of her encounter. This is another cool point, have you ever noticed how many women believed in Jesus and carried His message in the New Testament Gospels. It’s intriguing becuse women weren’t considered equals to men in society and technically couldn’t even offer to testify…but anyway…
John 4:39-42 “Now from that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all the things that I have done.” So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. Many more believed because of His word; and they were saying to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One truly is the Savior of the world.” So here we have evidence that the message of Jesus was meant for everyone. Now this isn’t the only time that we are taught that God and belief in God is for everyone.
In the book of Acts, in Chapter 10, Peter is sent by God to minister to, of all people, a Roman Centurian. A gentile, that was considered to be worse than going to a Samaritan, at least they had some ties to Judaism. There are at least 3 times in the books of Acts where Peter reinforces the idea that everyone should be treated the same.
Acts 10:28
And he said to them, “You yourselves know that it is forbidden for a Jewish man to associate with or visit a foreigner; and yet God has shown me that I am not to call any person unholy or unclean.
Acts 10:34-35
Opening his mouth, Peter said:
“I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, 35 but in every nation the one who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him.
And finally in Acts 11:18
When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, “Well then, God has also granted to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.”
In Heaven there are no ethnic groups, no races, no distinctions – why should we honor them here? We shouldn’t, but aside from those distinctions that we humans make, we also are prejudiced against people who don’t fit our vision of what a person should look like. Now I usually don’t use the Old Testament to make a point, in this case though, since there are so many who would rather preach out of the Old Testament, there’s this. The Bible warns us about prejudice based on appearance – Stereotypes
1 Samuel 16:7
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God does not see as man sees, since man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” Looks at the person’s heart. Nowadays, I wonder how many hearts He looks at and sees hatred and anger and everything we are taught not to do or believe in? We’ve seen people all over doing body shaming, making fun of people on how they look. We have politicians who have made a career out of insulting their opponents and demeaning them, all the while claiming to be Christians. You have to ask yourself, if they spend their time completely ignoring how God has told us to behave, are they really Christians? OK, I get it, we’re not supposed to look down on people or be prejudiced against them because of their race, ethnicity, or how they look, but surely, we can look down on them if we have more money then they do, right? After all, some of the most popular preachers are among the wealthiest people in the country, it has to be Ok, to be proud of that right? Well not so much, in fact, we are taught to hold the poor or the needy in high esteem and to help them.
Economic Status
Proverbs 14:20-21
The poor is hated even by his neighbor, But those who love the rich are many. One who despises his neighbor sins, But one who is gracious to the poor is blessed.
Proverbs 14:31
One who oppresses the poor taunts his Maker, But one who is gracious to the needy honors Him.
James 2:1-9
My brothers and sisters do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. 2 For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and is dressed in bright clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes also comes in, 3 and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the bright clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,” 4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives? 5 Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters: did God not choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court? 7 Do they not blaspheme the good name by which you have been called?
8 If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. 9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the Law as violators.”
Ok, we can’t discriminate against non-believers, against the poor, how about those Gen Zers, or Millennials, they’re just silly, they’re not mature enough for us to have to respect them, right? Well…
Age
Matthew 18:10
See that you do not look down on one of these little ones; for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven.
1 Timothy 4:12
Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.
Well surely then, we can make fun of Boomers —
1 Timothy 5:1
Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but rather appeal to him as a father, and to the younger men as brothers,
I know, how about blue collar workers, or anyone who doesn’t work in an office and wear a suit and tie? They’re not worthy of our respect right/
Occupation
Mark 6:2-3
And when the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue; and the many listeners were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man learn these things, and what is this wisdom that has been given to Him, and such miracles as these performed by His hands? 3 Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are His sisters not here with us?” And they took offense at Him.
We are bound together
Colossians 3:14
In addition to all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.
The reality is, Jesus commands us to live in unity with one another, when and if we don’t then, we end up filled with hate, and hate leads to anger.
A quick prayer to help overcome our prejudices is something like this Dear Lord Jesus, I ask that you come into my life and strip away the blinders I wear when I see those who are different from me. Help me to see each person as a child of the Father, a person who is to be respected. Help me to overcome my prejudices and help me learn how to walk more fully in the path you have set forth for me.
Amen