Sycamore

I just read an article about riots in India after a Sikh preacher in a lower caste congregation was attacked and killed by Sikh’s from a higher caste.  The article ends like this:

Caste discrimination has been outlawed in India for more than a half century, and a quota system was established with the aim of giving Dalits a fair share of government jobs and places in schools. But their plight remains dire, living in poverty and kept down by ancient prejudice and caste-based politics.

The attackers claimed that the temple they went after was dishonoring their Holy Book, but it seems like that was just an excuse to attack people of a lower caste.  It’s heart wrenching to think that there are people who have to fear for their life because they’ve been born into a family of a certain caste.

While discrimination and favoritism have crept into Christian churches as well, we should praise God that, through Christ, believers no longer need to place any hope (or fear) in their social status:

25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. (Galatians 3:25-29)

When we know Christ, everyone is on equal footing - all sinners, all saved.  If there’s anything in your heart that looks down on others for what they look like, how they talk, where they live, who they spend time with, or where they’re from, repent now and stop playing favorites.  Christ didn’t play favorites when he saved you.