Tavern or Crackers?

Sooo. This blog thing hasn't been working out too well... obviously. I did a good job for 3 months and then I kinda just quit. I've been so super busy, but things have settled down some, so hopefully I'll get back into updating more frequently : )

Yesterday was our first Mission Training session for the Hale County Mission Trip this summer. (We go to Hale County, AL and serve for a week. Our team works on/with different churches in the mornings... anywhere from construction to landscaping to tutoring kids... and we have a day camp at a local part for the kids from the area in the afternoons. Last year it was my favorite thing I did the whole entire year! Such an amazing way to give back some of what the Lord has blessed me with, develop relationships, share the Word, and draw closer to God!) The reminder text Mark sent out said "dinner provided". Turns out, that wasn't exactly the case. For most of us, "dinner provided" meant saltine crackers with peanut butter and water. When we walked in and sat down Troy passed around a hat filled with pieces of paper. Every one had either and A, B, or C on it. (And, thanks to Mark, most of the C's looked like J's :P) Most people had C's, but two people had A's and four had B's. We had no idea what they were for, so anyone who had an A or B was nervous. Then Mark called up the two A's and gave them food from the Tavern, gave a pizza to the four B's and told everybody else to dig into the saltine crackers, peanut butter, and cups of water. Of course I got the crackers. Awesome. After we ate, or snacked... Mark talked about how people aren't always given the option of being rich or poor. Certainly if you re lazy you're going to have less money, and if you're a hard worker you're generally going to have more, but a lot of times people can't help their social status. If someone in Africa is born into a dirt poor family that lives in a shack and becomes determined to work hard and move to America, they might never get that opportunity. Not because of their work ethic, but because there is no money to be had and they started out poorer than most. But if that same person was born into a middle class family, they would likely have the opportunity to become one of the richest people in America if they continued their same work ethic. All that goes to say is when we go on mission trips, wherever they are, we shouldn't look down on the people that we're serving. Often, they work harder than anybody on the mission team, but still don't have a lot of money. I think that is an amazing reminder to think about people's lives before we judge them! We are given a perfect example in James 2:1-6, 8-9. "My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet," have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? But you have insulted the poor... If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers."

Clearly, we are NOT to show favoritism, but to love everyone equally just as the Lord has loved us.


"For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver..." ~Isaiah 33:22

"For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." ~Matthew 7:2

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven." ~Luke 6:37

"And [Jesus] has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man." ~John 5:27

"You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat." ~Romans 14:10


My challenge to y'all this week is to LOVE like you have never loved before. Do as Jesus commanded and "do not discriminate among yourselves or become judges with evil thoughts". Remember that it isn't a person's "fault" if they eat at the Tavern or eat crackers. Bring a lunch to someone less fortunate than you. Next time you go on a mission trip, talk to the people you are serving on the same level and let them be independent. Help them if they need help, but remember that we were ALL created equally in GOD's image. God doesn't make mistakes. We are each designed by him to be our own unique person, no matter what our social status is!