Pay Attention to People
- Vernita "Neat" Simmons
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
In the Kingdom of God, we have the incredible privilege of letting our light shine so that God is glorified. How we treat others plays a pivotal role in this divine exchange. This massive world affords us the chance to meet many people. Some will be for a season while we form endearing relationships with others. And some we will meet only once in a lifetime, and the impression we leave them with speaks volumes.
Good for us, Jesus left a record on how He expects us to treat everybody. He thought so highly of folks that He spent time with the outcast, the poor in spirit, and anybody who felt as if they were invisible and unimportant. Mark 2:13-17 tells us that Christ even ate with sinners and tax collectors. Likewise, He spent time with the affluent, such as the Pharisees, Scribes, and Sadducees. Jesus did not leave anybody behind.
What can we learn from His actions? To be a servant of the Lord means we pay attention to people regardless of who they are or what they believe. When I was a Substitute Teacher, if a student were shy, Ms. Simmons would come after you. Those who challenged my authority, or even the child who was eager to give answers, here comes Ms. Simmons. All my students received a thorough education and the utmost respect. They knew how special they were.
Jesus does not ask us to compromise our principles; however, He does want us to treat everybody with grace and dignity. We can agree to disagree with someone's lifestyle preferences without judging them. In Matthew 7:12, He tells us to do to others what we want them to do to us. So, I make it a priority to treat everyone better than how they treat me. We must set aside our prejudices and biases and remember we are interacting with human beings. Souls such as these were so significant to Jesus that He died for humanity. (John 3:16).
You may feel you do not have any of these, but when you question something based on race, you may need to look in the mirror and ask yourself why that matters to you. So, take notice of people and stop passing them by as if they do not exist. You may have today, but you still do not know what tomorrow may bring. The unexpected has a way of showing up with problems you never saw coming. And the person you see as inferior today may be your superior tomorrow. You never know how the tides may turn. Beloved, let us follow Jesus' example and be the salt of the earth by living out James 1:27. People are important to God regardless of their social status, political or religious beliefs, or where they live. And they should be to us likewise.
I pray the song; My Father's House by Vertical Worship stirs your heart.
TIME FOR REFLECTION: In a world where status classifies people, have you discovered any biases and prejudices that you need to overcome? Let's talk about it. Share your thoughts in the comments below. Hit that heart, and share this message.
Comments