Treat Each Other Equally

DAILY VITAMIN

- Treat Each Other Equally

“And the second is like unto it, Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself.” (Matthew 22:39)

If there’s one problem that has plagued the church, it is the supremacist attitude- People thinking they are better than others; to the point that they are segregated into sects even in church. In the Book of Acts, the Bible says the disciples (believers) were of one mind (4:32); that is, everyone treated one another as they would themselves. And this is because they understood that with God there is no difference between Jew and Gentile, Greek and Barbarian (Colossians 3:11).

More so, Jesus said “Don’t ever let anyone call you that. For only God is your Rabbi and all of you are on the same level, as brothers” (Matthew 23:8 TLB). But ironically this isn’t the case today in most places. And the truth is that people still want to see themselves as above others. You see, while people might call you such magnificent names based on what they presume you are, the more important thing is how you treat them? In line with that name- as master to slave? Or as brethren?

It doesn’t matter if you are a pastor, a bishop, or what have you, and I know Jesus doesn’t care about that too, you are meant to treat everyone as you would yourself. It is the Golden Rule: to do to them as you desire to be done to you. Jesus taught this, and practiced it, and expects us to do the same. He expects us not to lord over them, but to love them.

For instance, Jesus who is our Lord calls us friends. He dined with His disciples on the same table, and never desired a higher table for Himself to prove His superiority over them. He asserted that He came to serve and not to be served (Luke 22:27), and proved it by washing the feet of His followers. He saw Himself as equal with them, and lived with them as such even when He was indeed much more. He never created hierarchies that leave others in the slough and He in the sky. He said where He is there we will also be; and so inadvertently He saw us as He saw Himself. And again, He expects us to do likewise with those amongst us.

He didn’t need to make anyone feel little to feel great; He is always and already great. And we don’t need to as well. Then what does He expect of us? The scripture says “Then make me happy by loving each other and agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, working together with one heart and mind and purpose” (Philippians 2:2 TLB).

Prayer:

LORD God, help me to love every single person around me without prejudice. Help me never to segregate, or to think of myself as more important or worthy than any other person. Teach me to walk in humility, to see them as I do myself, and to love them as you love me, in Jesus Name. Amen.