How Are The Rich And Poor Differentiated In Church?
The rich and the poor are treated differently in church. Is this new? Not at all. It has been going on since the fall of Satan.
Sin caused a terrible spiritual poverty in man. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. What that means is that man became selfish; his heart totally corrupt, without any scope of transformation other than the radical sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.
Here are a few scenarios to consider as to why these differences persist:
Bias vs. Sensitivity
Some ministers are naturally biased toward the rich. It is their fears dominating their faith. Others patiently deal with more sensitive individuals — including the wealthy — which may appear to be preferential treatment. Differences persist because people are differently cultured and conditioned.
Insecurity vs. Obscurity
Some poor are very insecure about themselves. They remain negative-minded and always point at perceived differences, even when there are none. Others are so obscure that even they do not know what they want. Differences persist because of how people perceive themselves.
Whatever the differences between the rich and the poor, it is the responsibility of every believer to love one another. We live in a world that intentionally widens that gap. We walk into church carrying various biases and insecurities — and if we do not surrender our own issues to God, the differences persist.
No Fellowship Like the Church
The church is a unique group of people that God brings together. Yet problems grow because we do not focus on our own role. We get distracted by everyone and everything around us.
What makes overcoming these differences possible? Why is there always hope in/for the church? It is because we are all looking to Jesus. The world does not offer a perfect Christ to hold onto or trust. The Spirit of God brings Jesus to us through praise, prayer, preaching, teaching, testimony, and fellowship.
Rejoice, dear child of God. Our time is short.
Maranatha. Praise God. Amen.
