Our life is full of differences we can’t imagine.
We are all created in His own image for the glory of God and for His pleasure. But why are there so many differences; and the gap seems to extend further between wealthy and poor? You look everywhere and differences are all over the place.
We live in a society where inequality and discrimination is inevitable. No matter how much protest occurs and create numerous laws to prevent disparity and divisions; it will always be present in the world full of greed and pride.
God is fair that is for sure. Taking away free will shall abolish most of the differences if not all. Though giving us free will alone makes Him the greatest Father ever. Imagine if your parents has control over you in all aspects of your life, what will you do? You will be like a robot everyday of your life, no choices and no freedom. We will never like that. Likewise with our ancestors, they fought and died for freedom. I presume free will is one of the precursors of differences in our society. Some may think we have so much free will at some point I agree with them.
At an early age, we already have an inherent right to pick what we want even though it is utterly evil or dangerous. Consider the lil babies they can decide what flavor of baby food they want to eat; and anything that looks colorful and attractive they want to taste. They don’t care if it’s something inedible or sharp.
- Galatians 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
God’s grace is multifarious and we are just talking about liberty. We’ll talk about love next time and it will make you cry because I’l help you understand the reality of events of how He loved us first. His love is the greatest of all not just because He gave us His son for us. It is much deeper than that.
Differences because of greed.
We should push ourselves to believe more in Him and withdraw from being unsatisfied. Being covetous is one of the main reasons why the differences goes further. Having faith in Him adjoins us to the rest of the world no matter how different we are from each other.
- Luke 12:15- And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
We work mostly just for ourselves but man’s appetite will never be satisfied. We will always be hungry and will cry for more, one after another.
- Ecclesiastes 6:7 – All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.
Not contented and being greedy seems to be part of man’s way of thinking. Of course we want comfort, convenience and luxury. Who doesn’t? But the measurement grades out as you get used to a certain degree. We will keep on saying it is not enough. New becomes old, full becomes empty and a lot means nothing after awhile. We are in a cycle of wanting more and eventually needing more. Who needs internet or wifi? Now, everybody and every places should have wifi, it becomes essential. On the other hand, not too many years ago many people are still hesitant of having wifi and don’t want it all. Time and technology change a lot, the unwanted becomes a necessity.
They say we mature and learn more as years go by. Though at some point it seems that we are spending more time surfing and shopping for clutters to fill our homes rather than spending quality time praying with our family. Seasons has passed, time was lost and the passing of years that we can never slow down will try to haunt us as our life becomes shorter everyday. Yes, it becomes shorter everyday never the other way around. Our life is like a moisture or a dew. It can vanish just like that.
- James 4:14 – Who do not know the thing of the morrow; for what is your life? for it is a vapour that is appearing for a little, and then is vanishing;
But I know someone for sure who never worries about pleasure and comfort for Himself. He is no other than our Lord Jesus Christ.
- Luke 9:58 – And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
This was so ironic since Jesus Christ was a carpenter. He had neither a house nor a bed to lay down His head. This only proves how He does not think of Himself but had thought of others instead. I can’t quite mention all the instances where we can extrapolate His extreme sensibilities to others. He healed the sick and fed thousands out of compassion and sheer kindness. He preached the gospel and introduced the everlasting life to all of us. All was not easy for Him. He was not rich and has nothing materially but He gave us everything. Without Him, life and eternal life was never on the table.
Jesus also mentioned the differences of rich and poor. It is the truth.
You can read here, should we envy the rich?
- Luke 6:24 – But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.
- Mark 10:25 – It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Jesus did not dislike rich men but He just said truthful things about them. The differences were already very obvious even at the time of the Lord.
- John 8:32 – And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
The truth hurts most of the time. Lies are purposedly made to avoid pain or stress. However, the grief of breaking trust ends up more painful and disappointing. I’d rather choose the truth than a lie which will make you chuckle briefly but later it will choke you to despair. Truth lightens the load and unbounds you from your burden. Jesus can lighten it since He is the truth. He knows the way since He is the only way.
He loves both rich and poor but the truth is, most rich men are too busy getting richer and has no time to neither pray nor to believe God. On the other hand, many poor men are busy praying and asking God His providence for their own survival. Eventually, creating a variation of that prayer asking God to make him rich like the other guy. Who do you think between the two is closer to God? The poor man will certainly have a better relationship to God because he prayed and believed while he was in need. But as soon as God answered Him, temptation may hook him downward and pull him away from God.
He gave us all chances to bridge the differences.
The gospel is for all, as many as who will believe Him. There is no limit. The list can go on and the bucket can’t be filled. For it is the Father’s pleasure to give us His kingdom. He willed that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of truth whether rich or poor. Everyone has a chance.
- John 1:12 – But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Although He had chosen the base things, the foolish things of this world and the weak things to confound the mighty and the wise. This will destroy the works and wisdom of man that the mighty, noble and wise have nothing to glory against God. Thus, bringing down the high minded, covetous and those who disregard God.
- I Corinthians 1:27-29 – But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to “nullify” the things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.
We are full of differences starting from our individuality, to every family and; to every aspect of our cultures and society.
Life indeed is full of differences. Differences not enough to write down in a piece of paper. The differences are too deep and too wide. However, we are all human beings that we should care for each other and need to unite for our survival in this yet lonely universe. The differences should only be a small element of who we are. We cannot make much to conjoin the gap but somehow we can avoid the thought and the annoyance. We are all different in so many ways, full of differences. But the universal truth is we have greater things in common than differences. We are all creations of the Creator and have only one Father in heaven who succeeded in expressing His true love to us. We all feel hungry, lost and have too many worries and desires that we can’t satisfy in our own. The similarities we have outweighs the differences.
Lastly, we all have just one life to live. It can be a long one but more likely it will be shorter than what we expect. All life will end and cease to exist. This life that we only have will never be enough without God. All of us truly needs Him regardless of the differences and there is no exemption.
I’d rather pick short life with God than a long one without Him.
- I Corinthians 15:39 – All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.
- Ecclesiastes 9:11-12 – I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all. For man also know not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it fall suddenly upon them.
- John 6:27 – Labor not for the meat which perish, but for that meat which endure unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
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May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you today.
Note: Bible passages are all in King James Version.