October 21

People have a tendency to place a value on human life dependent upon many factors, including: color of skin, occupation, degree of success at what a person does, level of achieve-ment, awards won, salary made, the number of things owned, people we associate with, the kinds of clothes we wear, etc. For some reason, we think it makes us feel better to look at others and believe we are better than they.
The Lord doesn’t look at people the way we do. “The Lord doesn’t make decisions the way we do! People judge by outward appearances, but the Lord looks at a person’s thoughts and intentions” (I Samuel 16:7). Jesus told a story about a proud Pharisee who was praying and thanked God that he was so much better than everyone else. Jesus also told of a sorrowful tax collector who humbly asked God to forgive him for his many sins. Jesus then concluded, “this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For the proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored” (Luke 18:9-14).
When parents were bringing their children so Jesus could touch them and bless them, Jesus’ disciples responded as so many others in the world would have. Their Master was way too important to be wasting his time with children. But, Jesus’ views toward people are far different than our human views. Jesus was upset with his disciples and said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I assure you, anyone who doesn’t have their kind of faith will never get into the Kingdom of God” (Luke 18: 15-17; Matthew 19:13-15; Mark 10:13-16).
When a very rich young man came to Jesus wanting eternal life, Jesus told him to obey all the commandments. Whether it was arrogance or ignorance, the young man felt like he truly had not broken any of the commandments at any time. Most of us would look at him with disgust. Not Jesus. The Bible says, “Jesus felt genuine love for this man as he looked at him” (Mark 10:21). If we truly love Jesus and we are sincere in wanting to follow Jesus, then we must view all people in the same way Jesus does; with love and with compassion. Do we? Or, do we com-pare ourselves to others in the same way the rest of the world does?