Counsel #2 — Jesus’ Example

Picture: Counsel #2 — Jesus’ ExampleCSI 37.1

Seventh-day Adventist Christians believe any discriminatory or devaluing action toward others opposes biblical teaching. Jesus expresses great solidarity between Himself and His suffering children. Therefore, any act of prejudice toward those society treats as inferior is an insult to the Creator Himself!CSI 37.2

In today and tomorrow’s reading, we will consider what the Bible says about prejudice against the poor and marginalized.^{[74]https://ssnet.org/blog/07-jesus-social-outcasts-hit-mark/}CSI 37.3

“If there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, ‘You sit here in a good place,’ and say to the poor man, ‘You stand there,’ or, ‘Sit here at my footstool,’ have you not shown partiality among yourselves?’” James 2:2-4, 8-9 NKJVCSI 37.4

“We need not go to Nazareth, to Capernaum, or to Bethany, in order to walk in the steps of Jesus. We shall find His footprints besides the sickbed, in the hovels of poverty, in the crowded alleys of the great city, and in every place where there are human hearts in need of consolation.” Ellen White in The Desire of Ages, p. 640CSI 37.5

Reflect: Can you think of any times you have been preferential or exclusionary to certain classes of people?CSI 37.6