Today’s Reading:
Matthew 10: 1-7
‘’Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.’’ (vv. 1-4, NIV)
The Scriptures tell a lot about the attributes of the Trinity, prominent amongst which are: loving, justice, patience, perseverance, fairness, merciful and so on. However, one of the less highlighted attributes is ‘’indiscrimination’’. Indiscrimination means not to discriminate, while to discriminate means the unfair or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people, especially on the basis of race, age, sex and even perceived or known characteristics and/or actions. Many scriptures confirm that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit is fair, just and does not discriminate against any of His creation. Matt. 5:45 says that our Father in heaven causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. Ps103:10 says that God does not deal with us according to our sins, nor reward us according to our iniquities. Apostle Peter in Acts 15: 7-9 confirmed that God, through His mouth, said He wanted the Gentiles to hear the word of the Gospel, and believe and that He put no difference between them (Jews) and the Gentiles.
To buttress the indiscriminate nature of our Lord Jesus Christ, we see in verse One of our Today’s Reading, how Jesus called his twelve (12) disciples who included Judas Iscariot, whom in verse 4 was recorded as one who was to betray him. The all-knowing Lord, who had known before the foundation of the world that Judas would betray him, still went ahead to call him amongst his disciples whom he gave power and authority over impure/evil spirits and to heal diseases. Jesus did not discriminate against Judas, whom he knew to be greedy, had an evil spirit of betrayal and love for money. Rather than discriminate against or condemn Judas, Jesus gave him an opportunity to repent, indeed “a long rope to pull”. Still back to the attributes of the Trinity, we read in 2 Peters 3:9, that God is long-suffering towards us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Also, Apostle Paul in 1Timothy 2: 3-4 pointed out that God, our Savior will have all men to be saved, and come into the knowledge of the truth.
It is instructive that while our Lord will not discriminate against anyone, we should never take his grace in vain (2 Cor. 6:1), or even allow the long rope He gives us to pull, snap-in our hands. Rather, we should take advantage of his long-suffering to repent and fall in line with him.
CHRISTY KUPOLUYI
Prayer:
Father, your attributes are all appreciated, especially indiscrimination against no one, in Jesus name.
O Lord, help us to be thoughtful and not take your long-suffering and patience for granted, in Jesus name.
O Lord, teach us to take advantage of your grace, and not waste it, in Jesus name.
Father, lead us to genuine repentance, and to fall in line with your will and purpose, in Jesus name.
Father, please bring people in our nation to repentance, and purge us of all our sins, in Jesus name.
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