"Emmanuel: Glimpses of God Incarnate," December 23

Thursday, December 23

Acts 10:34-48

“God as Impartial”

GOD SHOWS NO PARTIALITY, BUT I DO.

I’m intuitive and decisive, or so I tell myself, which results in a lot of sorting—sit by this person, follow up with that person, give more attention, listen more carefully, include, invite, prefer this person.

It turns out, in fact, those are precisely the things partiality means: prejudice, preference, favoritism, subjectivity, one-sidedness, preconception, jaundiced eye, soft spot. SOFT SPOT! Keep going and the thesaurus will give you: fancy, liking, inclination, penchant, fondness, affection, nepotism, bias, discrimination, prejudice, and preferentialism. (To be transparent, “soft spot” appeared in that list as well.)

These, these are the things God does not show, and Advent’s persistent persuasions to more and more embody the spirit of God-With-Us reveals to me how often I do.

Jesus: Going about doing good and healing all who were oppressed.

Me: Making little mental notes.

Sigh.

“But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord’” (Luke 2.10-11). This shattering announcement made “to you” was made to the least-preferred folk in David’s city.

He-who-was-born grew up and repeatedly went out of his way to embed among those folk; the least, the last, and the lost. Some would insist, in fact, that God-With-Us does show partiality—a soft spot—for those whom others dismiss.

Read Acts 10 for a reminder how astounded the “insiders” were as the gift of the Holy Spirit poured abundantly on the “outsiders.” Impartially, insistently, Spirit fell upon them all. Perhaps God’s lack of partiality reveals a soft spot for us all because, as Peter preached, “he is the Lord of all.”

All means all is a challenging concept in decidedly divisive times, is it not?

A favorite Advent hymn reminds me “I’m looking for the coming of Christ, I want to be like Jesus.” I’m not. Not yet all accepting and all loving, yet already accepted and loved. This, beloved, is the persistent now/not yet persuasion of Advent.

– Rev. Bobbi Kaye Jones (MDiv’80), Professor in the Louis H. and Katherine S. Zbinden Distinguished Chair of Pastoral Ministry and Leadership