In June ‘07, Hollywood socialite Paris Hilton was incarcerated for 45 days for repeat driving offenses. Two days later, the County Sherriff released her to spend the remainder of her sentence in home detention; or should we call it ‘mansion detention’. The public was outraged over the preferential treatment given to this rich attractive young celebrity.
The word translated ‘favouritism’ or ‘partiality’ in our English Bibles literally means ‘to receive a face’. It is to base our attitude or behaviour towards someone on something we shouldn’t, such as their looks (i.e. their face), wealth, gender or ethnicity. While we hate seeing others receive preferential treatment, we are sometimes guilty of the exact same thing. If we choose to steer clear of someone because of their clothes, weight, social skills, age, body odour, etc, we’re ‘receiving a face’.
Yet do we not long for a church where the treatment of people is not based on ethnic background, socio-economic status, physical appearance, fame, popularity, success, or the like; but upon the simple fact that we are all brothers and sisters in Christ, made in God’s image? If so, how do we achieve such a goal?
It begins by reflecting on the fact that this is how Jesus receives us. Spiritually speaking, we are ‘the poor man in shabby clothes’ of James 2:2. Yet Jesus welcomed us as a family member. When the reality of this infinite grace hits our hearts, it will overflow into wanting to show similar grace to others. May our church be the kind of place where there is ‘neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female’ (Gal 3:28).
Brendan McLaughlin
