Alike - Different

When we were in kindergarten, we learned to notice how things were alike and how they were different.  I am not sure if recognizing that two objects with three sides are both triangles and two objects with four sides are both squares has life application but I suspect it does.  From the time we were tiny, we were taught the differences between triangles and squares, boys and girls, dogs and cats, mommies and daddies.  We were taught the differences between day and night, long and short, happy and sad.  We were also taught to recognize things that are the same and group them together.  As we grew, we tended to group ourselves, to seek out people who were similar to us.  I suppose it is only natural but God calls us to a different way.   We are no longer to align ourselves according to any physical attribute or ability.  It is a spiritual commonality now.  In Galatians 3:28 it says, "There is neither Greek nor Jew, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." What do we have in common?  Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, and His love...

"For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit."  1 Corinthians 12:13  (NASB)

^"So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.   Then Peter began to speak: 'I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.'"  Acts 10:33-35 (NIV)

"Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly."  Leviticus 19:15  (NIV)

"He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good,  the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality."  Romans 2:6-11 (ESV)

^"My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, 'You sit here in a good place,' while you say to the poor man, 'You stand over there,' or, 'Sit down at my feet,' have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?  Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court?   Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?
If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself,' you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.  For he who said, 'Do not commit adultery,' also said, 'Do not murder.' If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.   So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment."  James 2:1-13 (ESV)

"But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy."  James 3:17 (KJV)

God shows no partiality and neither should we.  We, who know and love the Lord, are called to a higher standard.  We are set apart as Christ followers and it doesn't matter whether we are old or young, rich or poor, male or female.  It doesn't matter whether we are of differing races, stations in life, or levels of education; we are all one in Christ, for Christ is all and in all as it says in Colossians 3:9-17 (NIV): 

^"Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all."
"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."
"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

Dear Lord,  Thank you that You came to change the way we think.  Help us to embrace Your way of thinking and help us to spread the good news of our freedom under the law of liberty.  Thank you that You and Your love are the perfect bond of unity...