"No Partiality... Remember the Poor."

I ask for the grace of praying and meditating faithfully.  I ask for patience, tolerance, compassion, and empathy.  I ask to abstain from anger, anxiety, compulsive behaviour, discouragement, and self-importance.  I ask to know and follow Christ more closely, seeking justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly.


Galatians 2:6-10
⁶And from those who were supposed to be acknowledged leaders (what they actually were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those leaders contributed nothing to me. ⁷On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel for the circumcised ⁸(for he who worked through Peter making him an apostle to the circumcised also worked through me in sending me to the Gentiles), ⁹and when James and Cephas and John, who were acknowledged pillars, recognized the grace that had been given to me, they gave to Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, agreeing that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. ¹⁰They asked only one thing, that we remember the poor, which was actually what I was eager to do.


1) "...God shows no partiality;" "...entrusted with the gospel;" "...entrusted with the gospel;" "...acknowledged pillars;" "...recognized the grace;" "...the right hand of fellowship;" "...remember the poor;" "...eager to do;" "...


2) Paul is asserting that his "gospel to the uncircumcised" was affirmed by the acknowledged pillars: James, Cephas, and John.  The only thing the pillars asked of him was that he and Barnabas "remember the poor."  And he was eager to do that.  So many "Christians" have so many expectations of other "Christians"... All James, Cephas, and John, the acknowledge pillars, asked of Paul (who was preaching a gospel that released Gentiles from the requirements of the Mosaic laws) was to remember the poor.  If only some Christians spent more time remembering the poor than condemning other peoples' beliefs and practices.  If Christians spent more time demonstrating, demanding a "living wage" for everyone and "affordable housing" for everyone and less time making moral pronouncements about life styles, sexual orientations, gender identities... the world would be more like the Kingdom of God. 


3) What is the invitation this?  Advocated for a minimum wage that is a living wage.  Advocate for affordable shelter/housing for everyone. Continue supporting assistance systems in the meantime.


"Holy One, May we offer the right hand of fellowship to all who work for social justice, and right relationship, regardless the differences in our practices or beliefs."


Breathprayer: "No partiality... remember the poor."