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RACE RELATIONS AND A REBUKE TO US ALL

 

Esteem others better than ourselves (Phil. 2:3)

 

 

Racial conflict is in the news again as the President of the United States came to the defense of a personal friend—and wound up  making a potentially explosive situation worse by voicing an opinion without having all the facts.

 

Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., a noted Harvard scholar, was arrested recently after police investigated what turned out to be a false alarm. Gates, who is black, had just returned from a trip to China and when he tried to open the front door to his house it was apparently jammed shut. So he asked his driver to help him open it and while the two of them worked with the door a neighbor apparently thought they were trying to break in and called the police. Then when the police arrived on the scene and told the two men they were investigating a report of a break-in, Dr. Gates allegedly replied “Why, because I’m a black man in America?” Then when they asked to see some I.D., the officers claimed Dr. Gates became belligerent and refused. Tempers flared, angry epithets were hurled and Gates was subsequently arrested for disorderly conduct.

 

Who was right in this incident, Dr. Gates or the police officers? Only a thorough and unbiased investigation could possibly determine that question, but without knowing exactly what transpired, President Obama came down on the side of his friend and said “the police acted stupidly.”

 

However, regardless of who did what to whom it is not the intent of this article to take sides. In fact there is only one side in this issue and it includes each and every one of us. All humans are capable of exhibiting arrogant pride whether they are red, yellow, black or white! And because of our sinful nature if we do not learn to humble ourselves, conflict between individuals will continue to be a problem. That is why the Lord Jesus Christ said this about the ultimate result of our interaction with each other:

 

“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled (ranked below others who are honored or rewarded), and he who humbles himself (keeps a modest opinion of himself and behaves accordingly) will be exalted (elevated in rank)” Luke 14:11 (Amplified Bible).  

The Apostle Paul also weighed in on the issue by saying:

 

“Do nothing from factional motives [through contentiousness, strife, selfishness, or for unworthy ends] or prompted by conceit and empty arrogance. Instead, in the true spirit of humility (lowliness of mind) let each regard the others as better than and superior to himself [thinking more highly of one another than you do of yourselves]. ⁴ Let each of you esteem and look upon and be concerned for not [merely] his own interests, but also each for the interests of others. ⁵ Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus: ⁶ Who, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God [possessing the fullness of the attributes which make God God], did not think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped or retained, ⁷ But stripped Himself [of all privileges and rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being. ⁸ And after He had appeared in human form, He abased and humbled Himself [still further] and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross! ⁹ Therefore [because He stooped so low] God has highly exalted Him and has freely bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰ That in (at) the name of Jesus every knee should (must) bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ And every tongue [frankly and openly] confess and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” Philippians 2:3-11 (Amplified Bible, emphasis mine).

Just imagine how much strife would be eliminated in our daily lives if we put aside sinful pride and humbled ourselves before God. A biblical example of that kind of humility is seen in the following passage where the Lord compares the attitude of the Pharisee to that of the Publican:

 

“Two men went up into the temple [enclosure] to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee took his stand ostentatiously and began to pray thus before and with himself: God, I thank You that I am not like the rest of men—extortioners (robbers), swindlers [unrighteous in heart and life], adulterers—or even like this tax collector here. ¹² I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I gain. ¹³ But the tax collector, [merely] standing at a distance, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but kept striking his breast, saying, O God, be favorable (be gracious, be merciful) to me, the especially wicked sinner that I am! ¹⁴ I tell you, this man went down to his home justified (forgiven and made upright and in right standing with God), rather than the other man; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted” Luke 18:10-14 (Amplified Bible).

 

The Pharisee obviously had “I” trouble! Whereas the humble Publican (tax collector) admitted his guilty condition to God and “went down to his home justified…” (His heart attitude was acceptable to God and salvation was the result).

 

Some people have less trouble with an inflated sense of self than others, but all of us are “carriers” of that affliction and can be offended if not treated with the respect we think we deserve. A truly humble attitude is almost universally admired when seen in others—yet too rarely exhibited by most of us.

 

And whenever the subject of humility comes to mind I always think of this incident related by a devotional booklet several years ago:

 

“…Booker T. Washington, the renowned black educator, was an outstanding example of this truth.

Shortly after he took over the presidency of Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, he was walking in an exclusive section of town when he was stopped by a wealthy white woman. Not knowing the famous Mr. Washington by sight, she asked if he would like to earn a few dollars by chopping wood for her.

Because he had no pressing business at the moment, Professor Washington smiled, rolled up his sleeves, and proceeded to do the humble chore she had requested. When he was finished, he carried the logs into the house and stacked them by the fireplace.

A little girl recognized him and later revealed his identity to the lady. The next morning the embarrassed woman went to see Mr. Washington in his office at the Institute and apologized profusely. ‘It's perfectly all right, Madam," he replied. ‘Occasionally I enjoy a little manual labor. Besides, it's always a delight to do something for a friend.’ 

She shook his hand warmly and assured him that his meek and gracious attitude had endeared him and his work to her heart. Not long afterward she showed her admiration by persuading some wealthy acquaintances to join her in donating thousands of dollars to the Tuskegee Institute.

A truly humble man is hard to find, yet God delights to honor such selfless people.

 

Humility is something we should constantly pray for, yet never thank God that we have.” Our Daily Bread

 

It has been said that you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar. And what this world desperately needs is more people like Dr. Washington.

 

If you have been born again and received Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, but have been very lukewarm in your spiritual walk with Him, you need to immediately ask Him for forgiveness and for renewal. He will instantly forgive you, and fill your heart with the joy of the Holy Spirit. Then, you need to begin a daily walk of prayer and personal Bible Study.

If you have never placed your trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior, but have come to sense His reality and the approaching End of the Age, and want to receive His FREE Gift of Eternal Life, you can do so now, in the privacy of your home. Once you truly believe in Him as Lord and Savior, you are spiritually Born Again, and are as assured of Heaven as if you were already there. Then, you can rest assured that the Kingdom of Antichrist will not touch you spiritually. If you would like to become Born Again, turn to our Salvation Page now.

We hope you have been blessed by this ministry, which seeks to educate and warn people, so that they can see the coming New World Order--Kingdom of Antichrist—in their daily news.

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God bless you.