WEEK 42 – DAY 4

October 21, 2021

NO DISCRIMINATION

In this re-creation there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian and conqueror, or slave and free because the Anointed is the whole and dwells in us all. Colossians 3:11 (VOICE)

There should be no discrimination in the church. There should be no prejudice in the house of God. Race, education, socio-economic status, physical ability—none of these should divide us. A popular gospel song says, “If you belong to Jesus, you belong with me.” Oh, how God would be glorified if our churches would live out those words! When I was in my early twenties, I was a member of a predominantly White protestant church. One of my closest friends heard about an organization that paired larger church groups with small, economically challenged neighborhoods and churches. She approached our singles minister with the idea of partnering with a predominately Black church in southeast Fort Worth and he, in turn, asked me to co-lead this adventure with Susan Nielson. Our first project was simple enough…collect boxes of 24 crayons to be delivered to every first grader in the neighborhood elementary school. They were excited to receive them. We also helped to provide and deliver Thanksgiving groceries to several needy families. The most memorable project was working alongside our brothers and sisters at the 2nd Timothy Missionary Baptist Church to tear down a condemned building on their property. We tore it down board by board, pulling out nails with claw hammers. When we got it down to the frame, we pulled that down with a jeep. Then the pastor and some of the other stronger men broke up the cement porch with sledgehammers. It took two Saturdays (one of them in the rain!) to complete the project to make their property safe for their children. After breaking down the racial barriers by sweating side by side, Pastor Amos invited our group to sing at a Sunday afternoon church anniversary service. What a marvelous experience! Four words into my solo, shouts of “amen” and “Sing it, sister” buoyed me up to praise God in song as I never had before. Then one Sunday, their entire congregation (about 25 people) visited our church. I believe they felt welcomed as well.

Father, we pray that we might come alongside our brothers and sisters of all races, nationalities, socio-economic status, or physical abilities for Your glory.