If we think we are the superior race, looking down at others of different ethnicity, are we telling Jesus we think He is only our Savior?

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:26-28

If we think we are the superior race, looking down at others of different ethnicity, are we telling Jesus we think He is only our Savior?

I've heard so much this year about people looking down on others who were not of the chosen ethnicity, according to their point of view. Some people have gotten so caught up in their sense of superiority that they've been violent, had riots, and said hateful things to others of different ethnic decent. Are their actions founded?

According to the following Bible passage and many others that aren't included here: For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:26-28

Jesus does not judge according to anyone's ethnic origin, because we are all Christians who love Him as their Savior, regardless of ethnic background.  The Bible does not condone being hateful to anyone whether they are Christians or not, and in Matthew 5:9 Jesus says: Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called the sons of God.  Ezekiel 22:29 says: The people of the land have used oppressions, committed robbery, and mistreated the poor and needy; and they wrongfully oppress the stranger.

It occurs to me that those who feel their race is superior, are making judgments on people just because of their skin color. In fact, they may be persecuting other Christians, because there are Christian of any ethnicity. Regardless, Jesus doesn't want us persecuting anyone, regardless of their race, faith, gender identification, etc. Jesus definitely doesn't say: Blessed are the persecutors for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Actually, in Matthew 5:10 Jesus says: Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. It's important to be prayerful that we don't get caught up in groups, behaviors, and beliefs that lead away from being the Christians that Jesus calls us to be!

If you are asked to give to a worthy cause, but decline because you remember the new clothes, phone or car you want to purchase, will Jesus forgive you?

But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:6-8

If you are asked to give to a worthy cause, but decline because you remember the new clothes, phone or car you want to purchase, will Jesus forgive you?

Well, yes, Jesus forgives us our sins when we truly are sorry for them and ask His forgiveness, but if that's just an easy-out for us every time we are asked to help the less fortunate or other worthy cause, Jesus knows that, as well!

If we give, but are resentful about doing it, remember the underlined portion of the verses above. This part is especially significant for me. There have been so many times I've been asked to donate or to do something for a good cause, where I really drag my feet. When I'm prayerful about it, Jesus give me the heart to do His will. Sometimes He doesn't want me to be on every committee there is at church. Sometimes, He doesn't want me to donate to every cause out there, but He knows which causes He wants me to be involved in. If I'm truly prayerful, He will guide me on these.

Some worry that if they donate to worthy causes, it will negatively impact their finances, so that they don't have enough to provide for their own families. Note the following verses: 
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. As it is written: He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever. (Psalm 112:9) Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving though us to God. 2 Corinthians 9:7-11

Jesus wants us to forgive others like He forgives us, but when we can't forgive those who have hurt us to the core, what does He say?

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. Colossians 4:12-13

Jesus wants us to forgive others like He forgives us, but when we can't forgive those who have hurt us to the core, what does He say?

Jesus wants us to forgive others, but what about when someone has done something so horrendous that defies explanation? 

In Matthew 5:43-46 Jesus says: You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hat you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 

I've had to be prayerful on this one for a loooooong time, because there are some who are very difficult to forget. What I got from a book I read on forgiveness is that as long as we don't forgive the person, their actions continue to hurt us and haunt us. It's like those terrible things take up space in our hearts. When we forgive that person, it frees us from that hatred and opens up our hearts to feel Jesus' healing touch in our lives.

I read somewhere that when you forgive the person, you are not condoning their actions that have caused you all this pain. It took me lots of prayerful contemplation, but I've found that when I say a prayer similar to this, it frees me up from the pain of the past. 

Dear Jesus, I forgive ____ who did ________, although I don't condone their actions. When I don't forgive them, I'm not being an example of how You work in my life. I know you want to free my heart of this pain and I pray that you make me willing to forgive them and to turn this all over to Your very capable hands if it is your will. In Jesus name I pray. Amen

I thought that many of those situations would come back up over and over again in my mind as they used to, but they haven't. On the rare occasion that it pops in my mind, it isn't so devastating, because those actions no longer have power over me and my heart, Jesus does!

When you have a brilliant idea, get a promotion, snag a good deal and others compliment you on it, does Jesus care about your response?

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God. 2 Corinthians 3:5 

When you have a brilliant idea, get a promotion, snag a good deal and others compliment you on it, does Jesus care about your response?

When I read the first passage, it generally reminds me of the one that follows that shows Jesus does care when we take credit for His influence in our lives.

And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.  And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.  And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.  Acts, Chapter 12:21-23.

So, in light of this passage, we are to give credit to to Jesus for our good ideas, promotions, good deals, etc. instead of accepting the credit. Sure, it's not so easy to do. When Jesus allowed me to lose over 80 pounds and keep the vast majority of it off for over 30 years, people ask how I did it and I tell them that it happened thanks to Jesus who took my craving for sweets and large amounts of food away. They will argue with me and tell me, "No, it's from my actions," but they're wrong. I may have to repeat it several times, but I can't take credit for the blessings Jesus has allowed in my life. Sure we take a risk when we give Jesus total credit for things, but it's worth it in the long run. Proverbs 3:6 says: In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

We want people to help us when our country has natural disasters or violence, but do we turn our backs on those who experience the same things in other countries and are we turning our backs on Jesus in the process?

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 11 Corinthians 1:3-5

We want people to help us when our country has natural disasters or violence, but do we turn our backs on those who experience the same things in other countries and are we turning our backs on Jesus in the process?

This is an important one for all of us to prayerfully contemplate. There was an outpouring of financial and emotional support for those who were devastated in our country this last year. I didn't get the feeling that there was the same outpouring toward those in other countries who experienced similar situations and often much worse!

First, I have to look at myself before I address anything else. I realize that I donated much more to things that happened in my own country and although I donated, less resources were focused on those of other countries. So, it seems, I'm guilty of this one, as well, but I can't resolve this that easily.  This portion of the passage: God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God, lets me know that I need to make a much more conscious act of being a support to those who are experiencing these things abroad, as well as those in our own country. 

So, what if you can't afford to donate to all those in need throughout the world? We all can and should make a commitment to keep them in our prayers, not just for a couple of days, because many of these people are experiencing these devastating situations for an extended period of time. We can also be prayerful about ways to help. Maybe, we can have a bake sale, garage sale, etc. to benefit those in need. Maybe we can help at our church as they package things to send to those who have had devastating events. It doesn't have to actually cost money to be a comfort to others!