Daily Reading: 18 April

(from www.christianaid.org.uk)

Accept people for who they are.

Something to read

Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality…"

- Acts 10:34.

Something to think about

As a Jew Peter was to learn that the gospel message was to transcend to all people. The vision he saw on the roof of all kinds of clean and unclean foods and the command to 'rise Peter kill and eat' was a symbolic message that the gospel message was to be shared to all people and no one is to be considered unclean. Its encouraging to know that God holds no partiality. This is true not just in hearing about the gospel but in all areas of life.

Being non-judgemental is difficult to do especially when we have unconscious prejudices, discriminating viewpoints and bias that dictate how we conduct ourselves. Our desire ought to be like Christ that we harbour no partiality. Especially in how we reach out to others. We can express this through acts of service and in ministry where we minster to those who may be different to you, be it age, gender, race, culture, religious preference or sexual orientation.

If God is impartial, we ought to be too. We may not always agree with everyone, but we can still show love. Its about accepting people for who they are…a child of God!

Something to do

Think about the times in your life where you have been partial to someone based on their differences to you. What was the situation and circumstances? Think about what you could have done differently. Now ask God to help you to accept people for who they are regardless of their background, beliefs or orientations.

Something to pray

Dear Lord, thank you for being a genuine God who sees each one of us and loves us despite our failings and weaknesses. May we live our lives in harmony with your will that we may see people the way you see them. Amen.

Today's contributor is the Pastor Richard Daly, Communication and Media Director for the Seventh-day Adventist national headquarters for the UK.