Are You A Respector of Persons?

Acts 10:34
Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

I recently learned that a friend was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. My friend is a non-Christian, but he is a good man by the world’s standards. He is highly educated, works in a respected and demanding profession, is married with a family, and pays his taxes, and so on. He is a good man.

When I learned of his illness, I ask -- why? After all, he is a “good” man with every reason to live. How could God allow him to be stricken with this illness? After all, the world is full of murderers, criminals, drug dealers, and other “bad” people. Such as these could be struck down, never to be missed by society.

This reasoning may seem sound to the world, but it is not Scriptural and should not be the mindset of a follower of Jesus Christ. I am convicted of my own sinful nature and shortcomings as a Christian.

The Lord Jesus was no respecter of persons. He was often condemned for His many associations with persons of low esteem in the world of His day.

As Christians we must take care to not be deceived into believing we are better or above any other person whether that person is saved or unsaved. We have been saved by the grace of God in sending His son as a sacrifice for our sins. His sacrifice was not because of our merit, but because of His love for us.

You and I have never seen a person who was not created by God and whom God does not love. If only we as Christians could live each day and treat each person with that truth in mind. My prayer for my friend is that this personal crisis may lead him to seek the salvation of Jesus Christ.