...FOR GOD IS LOVE... (A CRY AGAINST TRIBALISM AND BIGOTRY)
Partiality, tribalism and ethnicity has been a cankerworm that eats the social values and norms of our society. It is now very difficult to move to higher levels of our career, business and life without getting aid from our "brother from the same village", tribe, race, group or status.
To men, "equity" is inexistent and a particular class or race adjudges themselves supreme to others. Domination is always the way of the "rich and powerful". They always see the leadership mantle as their birthright, even though God gave the gift to any and many irrespective of status. And when the lowly masses plea for some share of involvement in the polity's affairs, they would be fagged out through discrimination.
"Terms and conditions" applies also to the love that we share amongst ourselves. Whoever hopes to be a beneficiary must be ready to work for it or at best be deemed to deserve it.
BUT WHO DESERVES GOD'S LOVE?
The Jews according to the bible sees themselves as superior to other tribes because of their claim as "beloved" of God. The Gentiles, Samaritans or Pagans are considered "low class" in the sight of the Jews. And so, they detests their food, women, culture, even their "god".
Our world today is also filled with these ethnical challenges. Racism itself has and is causing conflicts in many countries. We all can't and won't forget the killings in Iran, Iraq, Vietnam, Rwanda and Nigeria in a hurry. Many of these Nations are still experiencing crisis. But God is for us all.
Saint Peter gave us a great example of love and respect for strangers in the book of Acts 10, when he accepted Cornelius, a Gentile into his house, he being a Jew.
ACTS 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48
When Peter entered, Cornelius met him
and, falling at his feet, paid him homage.
Peter, however, raised him up, saying,
"Get up. I myself am also a human being."
Then Peter proceeded to speak and said,
"In truth, I see that God shows no partiality.
Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly
is acceptable to him."
While Peter was still speaking these things,
the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the word.
The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter
were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit
should have been poured out on the Gentiles also,
for they could hear them speaking in tongues and glorifying God.
Then Peter responded,
"Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people,
who have received the Holy Spirit even as we have?"
He ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.
From the reading, we can agree that great things happen when where there is oneness. All were filled with God's spirit and thus, forgot every other thing but the praises of the God of love.
The gospel of John, chapter 4, verse 7expantiates more on the need to love as christians: "whoever does not love does not know God."
1 JN 4:7-10
Beloved, let us love one another,
because love is of God;
everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.
Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.
In this way the love of God was revealed to us:
God sent his only Son into the world
so that we might have life through him.
In this is love:
not that we have loved God, but that he loved us
and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.
God's love knows no bound. He sent His son to the world for our salvation, even though none deserves it. That is the standard we are to emulate especially as "Christ likes".
It is imperative for us to make the world a better place by shunning discrimination, partiality or any ethnical behavior that may lead to violence or evil in our world.
No matter the religion or tribe, lets see our neighbours first as humans made in God's own image and likeness. If God loves us all and commands us to follow suit, we are to obey and love Him back through our neighbours.
God rules the world. If God is love, we must allow love to rule the world.
Thanks as we read and share.
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