Pride and Prejudice

Sorry, but this will have nothing to do with that book or movie, but I could think of no other title to epitomize my thoughts here.

Last night, Melissa (my wife) and I stayed up later than we should have to watch a movie called “Crash” that was just released this year. I won’t go into all the details of the plot, but it involved a lot of different people from various backgrounds and even ethnic distinction. Although I didn’t agree with everything about the movie, I thought it did a good job of portraying the “pride and prejudice” in many people. This issue of prejudice and racism in the movie brought about some ridiculous and unfortunate events, in some cases events that the person deeply regretted once it was done. Prejudice is really just a nice word, though, for hatred. We don’t like to be that extreme, but that is exactly what it is. When we prejudge a person especially on the basis of their ethnic distinction, then we are revealing not only our shallowness, but our arrogance, and ultimately our disdain for God, because they, too, are image-bearers of God.

When I came to be the pastor of our church, one of the first things God placed on my heart was the desire for us to be a multi-cultural or multi-ethnic church. I thank God that that has come to pass at least in part, but I am praying for God to do immeasurably more than anything we could ever ask or imagine. Why, you ask, would I want something like that? Because, first of all, I believe that God has commanded us to preach the good news about Jesus to all peoples everywhere. I believe that when all the people groups of the world are reached, then Christ will come back to usher in his kingdom. But I also believe that different peoples (or races) commend a beautiful mosaic of the grace of God to our world. What is shameful is that segregation has been broken down in just about every organization under the sun except the one where it should most likely be broken down – the church! The people of God should be leading the way in this, but unfortunately that isn’t the case. Fortunately God is at work and prejudices and arrogance is being obliterated in the hearts of many.
Because we are all “one in Christ” and there is no Christian division of Jew or Gentile, or Caucasian or African American, or Asian or Hispanic, I rejoice that we are all brothers and sisters together in God’s family if we have given our lives to Christ. I think this is somewhat important since John tells us of a scene in heaven where it will be sung to the Lamb how He with his blood “purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.” And then several chapters over in the Revelation, those who have overcome will testify to the Lamb that “all nations will come and worship before you.” I guess when we stand there, there will be no need for an emancipation proclamation or civil rights movement, because there will be no pride or prejudice.