Prejudice and Forgiveness 偏见和饶恕

[Dexu Xia]

I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism.  Acts 10:34

After hearing a message about correcting injustice, a church member approached the pastor weeping, asking for forgiveness and confessing that he hadn’t voted in favor of calling the black minister to be pastor of their church because of his own prejudice. “I really need you to forgive me. I don’t want the junk of prejudice and racism spilling over into my kids’ lives. I didn’t vote for you, and I was wrong.” His tears and confession were met with the tears and forgiveness of the minister. A week later, the entire church rejoiced upon hearing the man’s testimony of how God had worked in his heart.

Even Peter, a disciple of Jesus and a chief leader in the early church, had to be corrected because of his ill-conceived notions about non-Jewish people. Eating and drinking with gentiles (who were considered unclean), was a violation of social and religious protocol. Peter said, “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile” (Acts 10:28). It took nothing less than the supernatural activity of God (vv. 9–23) to convince him that he “should not call anyone impure or unclean” (v. 28).

Through the preaching of Scripture, the conviction of the Spirit, and life experiences, God continues to work in human hearts to correct our misguided perspectives about others. He helps us to see that “God does not show favoritism” (v. 34).

What experiences or people has God used to help you see that He doesn’t show favoritism? What are the things in your life that may have blinded you to His acceptance of all people?

Dear God, search my heart and show me where I need to change.

 我真看出上帝是不偏待人。—使徒行传10章34节

教会一名弟兄听了一篇关于纠正不公义的信息后，即刻去找一位黑人牧师，流着泪请求他的原谅。这位弟兄承认自己因为出于偏见，没有投票赞成这位黑人牧师成为他们教会的牧师。他对牧师说：“我真的需要你的饶恕，我不希望我的孩子们也持有这些偏见和种族歧视的错误观念。当时我没投票给你，是我错了！”这位弟兄的眼泪和忏悔，使得这位黑人牧师也流着泪原谅了他。一周后，这位弟兄向众人见证上帝如何在他心中动工，全教会都因此欢欣喜乐！

耶稣的门徒彼得，这位初代教会主要的领袖，也曾因为对非犹太人心存偏见而需要被纠正。在当时，犹太人与外邦人（被视为不洁净）一起吃喝，就是违反了社会与宗教规条。正如彼得所说：“你们知道，犹太人和别国的人亲近来往，本是不合例的”（使徒行传10章28节）。因此，上帝特别显示一个异象（9-23节）来改变彼得原有的观念，使他明白“无论什么人都不可看作俗而不洁净的”（28节）。

上帝持续在我们心中动工，藉着圣经的教导、圣灵的感动，以及我们生命的经历，纠正我们对别人的偏见，帮助我们体认到上帝是不偏待人的（34节）。

上帝藉由哪些事或哪些人使你了解祂不偏待人？
上帝已接纳所有的人，是否有哪些事蒙蔽了你，
使你无法接受他们？

亲爱的上帝，求祢鉴察我的心，
使我知道自己哪里需要改变。