The Bible is our handbook for each and every issue we come up against in life, it is the key to knowledge of what is right and wrong. Racism and prejudice corresponds directly to favoritism, treating others indifferently, and showing a lack of love, all of which are talked about in the Bible.
Favoritism has been one of man’s down falls in life from the beginning of time and leads directly to racism and prejudice. The Bible talks about favoritism numerous times, James chapter two being one of them. In his letter which purpose is to “expose unethical practices and teach right Christian behavior” (Student’s Life Application Bible), James says, “ My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim that you have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if your favor some people more than others?” (James 2:1) Another example of partiality resulting in racism and prejudice is the conflict between God’s chosen people and gentiles. In the early era of Israel, the conflict between these two people groups was constant, they thought it was even scandalous to talk to gentiles. This is because the Jews thought they were more important than everyone else which lead to prejudice against Jews that continues to this day. Peter knew differently, though, in Acts 10:34, “Then Peter replied, ‘I see very clearly that God doesn’t show partiality.’”
“Treat others how you would like to be treated” is a statement that almost everyone has heard one time or another, in one way or another. It is not very surprising that this truthful remark originated from the Bible, more than once. Widely known in the Church as the Golden Rule, treating others like yourself is mentioned in Luke 10:27, Mark 12:31, Matthew 5:43-48, Leviticus 19:18, Matthew 22:39, and there are some many others references. It is a fact that human’s number one obsession is themselves and themselves is what they care about and think about the most. Obviously, if we all treated others how we wanted to be treated like the Bible tells us to, there would not be problems of racism and prejudice because everyone would love each other and find no faults in one another.
Love makes the world to round, it is what separates us from the animals, and it is God’s gift to each and every one of his creatures. The Bible says clearly and demonstrates God’s love for us a gazillion times stating all through the Bible that God’s love is unfailing, immeasurable, and never ending. In turn, it is our responsibility and privilege to love others as God loves us. In 1 John 4:7 and 8 says, “ Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God-for God is love.” When we truly love others, there is no room for hatred, jealousy, or any other wrong thoughts or actions that are racist or prejudice to God’s creatures.
Knowing all these things, and understanding what the Bible says is nothing without application. The Bible says we should be doers and not hearers. It is not enough to have 1st Corinthians 13, also known as the love chapter, memorized and be able to tell people God loves them and be as tolerant as possible. One needs to actually be the example and show complete love towards everyone. This is the only way that racism and prejudice can be overcome, it is the example of Jesus Christ himself that can help us oppose the disease known as discrimination.

By Kendal

Labels: Bible, Christianity, discrimination, favoritism, love, prejudice, racism

A few weeks ago in homeroom we read Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. It is a very good and thought provoking verse and since then I can’t seem to quit relating something to it. The verse goes like this....

1There is a time for everything and every season under the sun;
2A time to be born and a time to die…
A time to plant and a time to uproot…
3A time to kill and a time to heal…
A time to tear down and a time to build...
4A time to weep and a time to laugh…
A time to mourn and a time to dance…
5A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them...
A time to embrace and a time to refrain…
6A time to search and a time to give up…
A time to keep and a time to throw away...
7A time to tear and a time to mend…
A time to be silent and a time to speak...
8A time to love and a time to hate…
A time for war and a time for peace.

This verse is so uplifting. Especially for those of us in the IB program. Some nights when I have uber amounts of homework but and all I want to do it get on msn or facebook I just remember this verse and think to my self, “ok Hannah this is your time to study…time for msn will come later ☺” hahaha. Corny I know but it really does help knowing that God made a time for everything and it is our job to rise to the occasion and do things in there time. I am a person who likes to rush things and move quickly, sometimes I think that I can get things done on my own faster or wonder why something has not happened yet. But keeping this verse close to my heart just gives me little reminders all day that everything will happen in God’s timing because he is never late. Isn’t that so great to know? It just makes you stop and thank him for all that he has done in His perfect timing doesn’t it?

Well looks like its my time for my 5 o’clock Indo lesson ☺. Hope this verse is as reassuring to you as it is to me!! Ciao!

~Hannah

Labels: Bible, perfect timing

Okay, right now I'm supposed to be doing my history homework thats supposed to be due in tomorrows lesson but i cant bring myself to do it! I simply hate history. So, I am going to write the blog that was meant to be written last week but about a topic that just came to me a couple minutes ago.

In this morning's devotion, I was sitting at my desk, looking at Mr. Eric while he was reading a passage from the Bible like he usually does in the mornings, but then something he read aloud caught my attention. It was from the book of Genesis.

"..she ate some of the fruit. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her. He ate it too. At that moment, their eyes were opened.."

I don't know why this passage decided to catch my attention this time, when in fact it has been read to me again and again over the years, but i found that the word choice that was used to explain how sin was taking ahold of Adam and Eve, was rather odd. Usually when people choose to use the words "their eyes were opened", they are trying to illustrate something good happening. If I didn't know any better, I would interpret the action of Adam and Eve eating the fruits from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil as something good because their "eyes were opened". To me, this changes the whole meaning of the story of Adam and Eve. It makes it seem like God wasn't allowing Adam and Eve to think on their own. He was clouding their thoughts so that they could not think to sin, but the serpent was able to convince them to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil so that their eyes could be opened.

Maybe God did intend for us to live like robots, to live with clouded minds so that we do not know what is our right from out left. We would just live our lives, blindly praising and serving God with all out hearts. But the serpent ruined His great plan by convincing Adam and Eve to eat the fruits of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

I actually don't believe this to be true but I couldn't help but wonder.

Labels: Bible, mindlessness, sin