PRIVILEGED - Sermon Series eBook by PORTICO Canada

PORTICO.cc/privileged-ebook

Contents Introduction Chapter 1 - God allows for difference of privilege Chapter 2 - Use whatever privilege God has entrusted you with to do good Chapter 3 - Trust God to bring you into positions of privilege He designed for you Chapter 4 -Shut out the voices that tempt you with greater privilege Chapter 5 - Privilege submitted to God makes the nation thrive Chapter 6 - God has designs on what He has invest in you

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RICK CARROL Senior Pastor | PORTICO Community Church

Introduction My story is one of privilege. I am a white male, born in Canada, speak English as my first language and have never faced the obstacles that millions of women or racialized people in our country face every day of their lives. My life could be labelled as easy, incapable of empathizing with the struggles that so many others who live in my very neighbourhood wrestle through every day. Yet my personal lived-out experience was far from this narrative. I grew up in a middle-class family. Many months things were tight until the next paycheque came, but we always had enough. We never had the newest or best of anything, but whenever we did get something that was new rather than second hand, it was a real treat. By the time I was age 12, I had a part-time job delivering newspapers and umpiring youth baseball games to have money to pay for things I wanted; in the real rough seasons, this included helping with money for groceries. At age 19, I bought my first car because we couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t afford a second vehicle that worked, and I needed something reliable for school and work. My parents loved us, but our family had similar struggles that many do. Some nights, I would stay up late watching the lights out my bedroom window, wondering if my Dad was coming home or if this would be the night he wouldn't. He always did come home, but

but it was never a sure thing. Over time, it’s something I have learned to respect about my parents. They made it work even when it was apparent to a teenaged child that it wasn’t really working.

If you had spoken to me then, I could have gone on for hours telling you about how unfair life had been to me and how others had it so much better. Yet, even while experiencing struggles, I was privileged. I had a safe home, a comfortable bed to sleep in, and someone with authority trusted me enough to give me a job so I could earn money. My parents modelled education in the home and did what they could to make life work out for me, unlike in the homes of some of my peers who experienced abuse or neglect. By age 21, I had moved out on my own, incurring a debt load for my education, my car, and my upcoming wedding. As newlyweds, we started our life together in small-town Ontario, living under the poverty line, tens of thousands of dollars of debt but happy to be together. But yet, still privileged. Privilege is a funny word that can evoke both positive and negative meanings. For me, even though I experienced struggles, I still had advantages that others did not have. For some, it carries the heaviness of watching others around you receive opportunities and get the benefit of the doubt extended in ways in which you could only dream. For others, it is a red “X,” labelling you in a way that almost feels shameful, as if the circumstances in which you were born were of your own doing and came at the expense of others. In recent years, we have seen Canadian society turn its attention to the issues of privilege, becoming better able to identify some areas in our society where life is not as fair to some as it is to others.

However, we have also seen it develop into discussions about how we view heroes from the history of generations past who did not use their privilege to equal the scales of life for others. Although they were considered kind and balanced in their day, we now question their morals due to our newly developed perspectives on privilege.

As a follower of Jesus, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not okay for you and me to be aware of all this pain around us and remain silent about it. What results from all of this is tension. There is tension between our First Nations people and the European immigrants. Our First Nations were the owners and caretakers of the entire country. Still, they ended up living on small reserves and in residential schools because of agreements and treaties that do not look fair with the light of history shining on them. There is tension between our black communities and the rest of Canada, with our black communities still feeling the pain of being viewed and treated as less than equal, dating back to slavery. Even now, we find everyday examples of people being marginalized or discriminated against in their schools or workplaces because of skin colour. There is tension between men and women, as women experience a glass ceiling in many leadership circles; even though highly qualifed they cannot breakthrough. In some societies, there is even the obstacle of women not having the right to educate or make choices for themselves. You may be able to articulate a specific battle with privilege you have faced that others have not experienced. Each of these inequities creates conflict. At its worst, it devolves into hate for others. As a follower of Jesus, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not okay for you and me to be aware of all this pain around us and remain silent about it. In Matthew 5:14,

Jesus says to His followers in His famous Sermon on the Mount, “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.” There is a specific light created in us to shine. This light is not based on our goodness, nor does it reflect our morals and ideals. It is the light of the Holy Spirit within us for whom we do not get to put words in His mouth. In recent days, what has played out has been Christians ready to aggressively position themselves in a fight for or against particular issues or movements because of their personal beliefs or biases without considering the words and teachings of Jesus. We have decided that if it offends my beliefs, I can speak out against it. If it affirms my beliefs, then I have permission to speak out on behalf of it. The prophet Jeremiah prayed a prayer, “I know, Lord, that our lives are not our own. We are not able to plan our own course.” (Jeremiah 10:23) I’m so glad that you’ve chosen to walk through this short study on “privilege” with me as we see how the Bible teaches us to view privilege, use privilege, challenge privilege, and submit to privilege. We’ll look at the teachings of Jesus and apply them to the individuals who experienced some of the most incredible privileges than any of God’s children—the first kings of Israel. We’ll walk through the life of Saul, chosen to lead because his privilege was visible to others around him; rewarded because of the privilege that God gave him. We’ll look at Saul’s son Jonathan, who used his privilege to benefit someone more deserving than himself. Of course, that person was David, who demonstrated humility time and again (except for the one time he exercised his privilege with Bathsheba and created a son, Solomon). We’ll look at Absalom, one of David’s eldest sons. Absalom was jealous of the privilege afforded to his half-brother, Solomon, and was willing to blow up the family and even the society to get what he thought he deserved. Finally, we’ll look at Solomon, who was born into privileges

privilege and used it to grow God’s kingdom. He didn’t seek more privilege; he only desired to receive wisdom for utilizing privilege. Solomon became the greatest king there ever was in Israel. Before we start, let’s do a quick heart check together. Too often, we read a book to confirm a bias that we have, or we read something and get angry without ever processing the truth in it because it goes against our perspective or experience. When it comes to reflecting on the Bible, one of the most important prayers we can pray is, “Lord, you know that I only want to please you. I have been doing my best to live for you and let your word shape my thoughts. But if you’re going to challenge me to think and live differently, even if it will be hard, even if it causes me some pain, then I am willing.” It kind of sounds like the prayer of Jesus when He faced the greatest challenge of His life and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” (Luke 22:42)

The Bible is an entire story.. If you read one chapter without understanding the context of the surrounding chapters, you will miss part of God's perspective on how and why privilege exists. The Word of God always has something to teach us and a way to shape us. Remember as well that the Bible is an entire story brought together in 66 books. None of the stories told or principles taught can stand alone. If you read one chapter without understanding the context of the surrounding chapters, you will miss part of God’s perspective on how and why privilege exists in our world. As you read and reflect on your own experiences on privilege, I pray that God will challenge your heart to become more like His.

Saul

the wealthy, handsome, tall, strong man in his tribe

Chapter

God allows for difference of privilege The very title of this chapter might be difficult for some people to consider. In God’s kingdom, isn’t everyone equal with no separation? Isn’t the very thing which we have been fighting for to wipe away society’s tiers that make life harder for some and easier for others? How could God design a system that is fairer to some than it is for others? I will grant the argument that, in the perfect kingdom of God, there should be no distinction among us (1 Corinthians 11:9). Creation started out with that kind of society, and will eventually return us to a new heaven and earth where there will be no distinction. However, a thorough study of the Bible acknowledges that in the brokenness of our world, there will be those that have and those that do not have. Jesus: “You will always have the poor among you…” (John 12:8) Paul: “Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ.” (Ephesians 6:5) Moses: “In this way, you will set the Levites apart from the rest of the people of Israel, and the Levites will belong to me.” (Numbers 8:14) In addition, most of Romans 9 is an argument from Paul describing how God accepted Jacob and not Esau, and how He chooses to show mercy to some and not to others (Romans 9:10-22).

It’s an uncomfortable thought and reality in our world that some are born with more than others. We have physical traits and situational family realities that either set us up to stand out from our peers for the positive or, at other times, for the negative. Remember, the Bible should shape your understanding of God. We should not shape the Bible to fit a worldview that makes sense to us. In Saul’s story, Israel had gone for generations without ever having one identified leader other than God himself. They had judges who helped rule the land and prophets who spoke of truth and righteousness, but there was no crowned king or elected official. Despite the prophets’ warnings to remain this way, the people demanded that they choose a king.

If we were all able to rise to places of leadership in equal measure, then indeed, the first king would have been an individual of no apparent significance.. Samuel was the established prophet in this season, the voice of God whom the people trusted to speak on His behalf to the nation. The Lord sent Samuel to visit a man named Kish, and from there, He would reveal who the first king of Israel would be. Look at how Samuel describes his encounter with Kish and his son: “There was a wealthy, influential man named Kish from the tribe of Benjamin. He was the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, of the tribe of Benjamin. His son Saul was the most handsome man in Israel—head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the land.” (1 Samuel 9:1-2) If you had to lay out a blueprint for privilege, this is it. Benjamin was the son of Jacob and his favourite wife, Rachel. The tribe of Benjamin would one day assimilate with Judah’s tribe, whose lineage includes David, Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. Saul is handsome and taller than everyone else in the tribe. He would quickly demonstrate his strength, military intelligence, andh

leadership ability as he united this young nation against its neighbouring foes. You have a man born to a small but prominent tribe or class of Israel, whose physical traits made him the envy of the nation. It is not an accident that a man of this stature is the first one chosen to lead God’s people. If God planned that no one of human privilege could leverage their privilege for themselves, then there would be no way Saul would be king. If we were all able to rise to places of leadership in equal measure, then indeed, the first king would have been an individual of no apparent significance, perhaps from the tribe of Asher, that God would have chosen because of his faithfulness in serving. Or, maybe even an underdog-style leader from Dan’s tribe who proved his worth in the shadows before earning his place in the limelight. An individual fitting that description would make sense. But God chose Saul to be king. Saul would not turn out to be a great king, as, over the years of his leadership, he became proud, turned from God, and had his kingdom and his life ripped away from him. God’s choice of king was an ironic choice in and of itself. God had designed it so that Israel would be different than every other nation, without a figure head. So when God chooses a king, He gives them a king who looked like any other earthly king. Almost predictably, Saul gave in to the temptations of privilege that we will discuss later. But the lesson of Saul’s choice to be king reminds us that God will often choose a person of privilege because of who he or she is to the people: “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him to be the leader of my people, Israel. He will rescue them from the Philistines, for I have looked down on my people in mercy and have heard their cry. When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said, ‘That’s the man I told you about! He will rule my people.’” (1 Samuel 9:16-17) This verse is a demonstration of biblical privilege. God not only allowed Saul to be king; He chose Saul. He chose him because his strength

and skill would allow him to lead Israel from Philistia’s oppression. God did not select Saul because he would lead them into a right relationship with their Father in heaven. God already had established a system that would allow that, with the priests and prophets speaking on behalf of God calling the people to live as He directs. The people’s unwillingness to be different as a nation and be a country with only God as their leader led to Saul’s privileged selection of king for Israel. God allowed secondary purposes for earthly leaders that extend beyond leading their nation into righteousness. While Saul would eventually pay for his arrogant leadership and poor management of those around him, he thrived for a season.

God will allow, even choose, different people to move into places of influence in our world not because of their spirituality but because of their humanity. Consider for a few moments what this means for you and me in our world. God will allow, even choose, different people to move into places of influence in our world not because of their spirituality but because of their humanity. There will be people born into influential families that are bigger, stronger, and wealthier than other families and will use these assets for their gain. They will receive positions of influence over you and me, and it will all be part of God’s plan as He allows for differences in our privilege. The narrative of today’s world wants people to apologize or feel shame because of the privilege they were born into and have experienced over their lives. Yet here we see God, purposefully placing privilege on Saul, and shaping His people through those on whom He gave privilege.

This is one of those places where I have to pause and reflect. As much as I want to say that God would never allow for this, we see it all the time. People who have resources and influential relationships get into positions of power in our world all the time. We see nepotism keep power within a family. We see racial prejudice keep different races from advancing generation over generation. While it is definitively not true of all people in power, it is true of some people in power. The question for followers of Jesus to wrestle with is, should we try to force change on people in places of power to decentralize power away from where it has been? Remember that this study is not complete while only examining one king at a time, but there is a case to be made that our God chooses to allow for privilege to exist for some and not for others, and it is not our place to tell God He has made a mistake. In the New Testament, Paul had some challenging teaching for the people of God on this subject. “Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.” (Romans 13:1) Paul wrote to people who had their freedoms limited by the Roman Empire and had to pay taxes to employ the Roman guard that enforced rules and a lifestyle that frustrated the people who had to pay. Yet Paul tells them that the authority of Rome was “placed there by God.” If this Scripture is true, then it applies to today’s broken government systems, corrupt corporate leaders, backwards church leaders, and so on. I’ve often said that if the Bible never contradicts my beliefs and only ever affirms them, I have overlooked significant parts of the Bible. The example, time and again, that God has for you and me is that there are people in leadership that may or may not be worthy of leading (in my humble opinion), but my job is not to question them or tear them down. My job is to submit to them in an honourable way.no

What goes on inside your head when you notice a group of people receiving privilege that others do not? For me, there is a justice response that wells up inside, a feeling that the world should be fairer. When compared to other nations of the world, Canada is by no means the worst offender in terms of gaps in privilege for different people groups. Yet even here in our country, we still hear from people overlooked for opportunities every day and made to feel less than others or have had their rights taken from them. The mindset for a follower of Jesus needs to differ from the perspective of those governed by themselves. If my primary concern were justice, then I would fight for my rights. If my primary concern is Jesus, then I learn to lay down what I should easily understand as “my rights” to demonstrate the nature of God. Paul writes, “…for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:11-13) Paul was a man who experienced privilege in both communities in which he lived. He was a Roman citizen with privileges that his Jewish brothers did not have. Paul was also a respected teacher of the Scriptures, instructed by the leading Rabbi in the nation, which garnered his privilege in the Jewish community. Paul never apologized for being afforded these privileges; he lived a life not preoccupied with it. Paul stepped into battles on behalf of those around him who did not have his platform. Remember that the story of privilege cannot be told simply by looking at one angle. While God allows for differences in privilege, He has a call for those who receive the privilege. We’ll see this next perspective from Saul’s son Jonathan.

â&#x20AC;Śfor I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.â&#x20AC;? P h i l i p p i a n s

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Jonathan

the king who gave away his throne

Chapter

Use whatever privilege God has entrusted you with to do good To be clear, Jonathan was never actually a king of Israel. He was King Saul’s firstborn son, strong and powerful, at one time taking down twenty men on his own with only the support of his armour bearer in a story told in 1 Samuel 14. Jonathan was just as privileged as Saul ever was, but his story ends up being very different from his father’s, precisely because of how he used his privilege. In Saul’s story, we read that the prophet Samuel had warned Israel that they really shouldn’t ask for a king because the first thing a king would do is tax them, build an army with their strongest young men, and force others to work as servants or slaves. These very things became part of Saul’s first steps of leadership as he conscribes an army from the best of Israel’s sons to protect his reign against neighbouring nations. We can see how those in places of privilege become tempted to secure their place at the expense of others with less privilege. Sometimes it can be strategic moves of good leadership. Other times, it is more selfish, with a leader desiring to keep his or her position comfortable and secure.

By all rights, Jonathan’s path was to position himself to make sure he followed in his father’s footsteps. If you stopped reading at 1 Samuel 15, you would assume that this would be Jonathan’s eventual destiny. But in chapter 16, we are introduced to David. God had rejected Saul as king because Saul decided to keep the spoils of war for Israel when God had asked them to destroy everything in the city He was about to give Israel victory over. It is often difficult for those in places of privilege to walk away from opportunities to increase their stance. When we get to the discussion on Solomon and privilege deferred, we will see how unique the choice to avoid the desire for more privilege is. As mentioned earlier, in 1 Samuel 16 we meet God’s next chosen leader, David. The story here is about to take a massive jump. God passes over Jonathan, the privileged son of King Saul, without explanation as to why. So while at times, God uses people of privilege, it is not the entire story. God’s next choice for a leader was going to be the humble shepherd, David.

Jonathan chooses a different path, acknowledging the principle that just because a privilege is available to us does not mean that God has asked u to step into it. Perhaps Jonathan was part of the decision to get rich off the victory over the Amalekites, which angered God and eventually cost both Saul and Jonathan the right to lead God's people. Perhaps it is for other reasons, but God’s blessing and attention turn from Jonathan to David. Regardless, Jonathan remains in line for the throne from Saul’s human perspective, but God passes him over. If I were Jonathan, I might try to battle my way back to the top or demonstrate my leadership ability and my submission to God so that I wouldn’t lose my place as the future king. But Jonathan chooses a different path, acknowledging the principle that

just because a privilege is available to us does not mean God has asked us to step into it. Jonathan befriends David and uses his position as future king and the privileged information he would be aware of to help David survive.

Saul was able to see the nation’s opinion changing and that David was becoming loved. When circumstances threaten the king's throne, the wise course of action is to eliminate the threat. Saul acts predictably privileged and attempts to kill David. But Jonathan throws us a curveball and devises a plan to get David to safety, knowing full well that this move will cost him the position of becoming the king one day. Even though Jonathan could have chosen not to help his friend and possibly benefit from David’s elimination, he knew that David was the leader God had chosen for Israel. So, Jonathan risks his own life and uses his privilege so David can escape and take Jonathan’s place. As the two friends devise the plan, Jonathan articulates it to David, “May the Lord be with you as he used to be with my father. And may you treat me with the faithful love of the Lord as long as I live.” (1 Samuel 20:1314) Jonathan understood this principle about godly privilege, that sometimes God will put you in a place of privilege, not for your benefit but the benefit of someone else. This is why the story of privilege cannot be understood from any one perspective. Saul’s privilege was to make Saul king. Jonathan’s privilege was to make David king. Saul couldn’t comprehend why Jonathan would ever act this way. The choices of the humble often confound the perspective of the privileged. When Saul figured out that Jonathan helped David, he coins one of the classic insults in the Bible that has lasted for thousands of years, “‘You stupid son of a whore!’ he swore at him. ‘Do you think I don’t know that you want him to be king in your place...’” (1 Samuel 20:30). lnsults aside, it's fascinating to

consider that Saul was angry that Jonathan would serve the greater plan for Israel rather than serve the greater good of their family. Privilege is the fundamental flaw of monarchies. All things considered, the individual who is best-suited to take over as the next king is unlikely to be the kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s son. Yet, if the king had a son, tradition prevented the king from selecting the best-suited individual to lead next; instead, the king would give his son the privilege of becoming king. Jonathan is wise beyond his years, understanding this flaw and stepping into the greater good instead of personal benefit.

Jonathan understood this principle about godly privilege, that sometimes God will put you in a place of privilege, not for your benefit but the benefit of someone else. When we review perspectives and the application of privilege, we see that yielding to the greater good instead of personal benefit is a battle many are wrestling through in our present society. White males have dominated positions of power and influence in Canada for 175 years. It is only in the past few decades that there have even been conversations about the need to increase our leadership demographic to include men, women, Indigenous people, West Indians, Asians, and others to lead alongside Caucasian males. One of the best examples is when the PC Party of Canada and Prime Minister Brian Mulroney had been in power and were facing an election. They understood that Mulroney had lost the confidence of the nation and would never be re-elected. In a move never seen before, Mulroney stepped aside as the party leader while in power, and the party elected Kim Campbell to step in as prime minister. While the bold move could not swing the upcoming vote back to the PC Party, allowing them to remain in power, it was a bold move for

for women in leadership in the nation. Kim Campbell became a best-selling author and chaired an international council for women in leadership. Unfortunately, her story is one that has not been played out enough for women. Regularly, leaders find themselves in positions where they are no longer the best answer for the organization. The human instinct of privilege is to hang on as long as you can and, at the very least, hand off the leadership to someone who looks and leads like you do. Effective change in our society will only come when leaders regularly look for the RIGHT person to step in as the next leader, not the EASIEST person to transition in as the next leader. Finding the right leader is not a call for all white males to step out of positions of influence, but rather, a need to ensure that leadership positions are representative of the jurisdiction served. In cities that are predominantly one culture or race, one would assume that there would be more leaders of that race. In multicultural cities, leadership should be multicultural. In addition to culture and ethnicity, we may presume to have an equal split of men and women leading our world. A knee-jerk reaction might call for white male leaders to feel shame and step aside; however, our world would be a mess if all leaders with experience and influence left their positions to demonstrate privilege managed for othersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; benefit. A healthy discussion on privilege allows for time to walk this out to make sure that society and organizations are structured to allow any person, regardless of race or gender, the opportunity to develop themselves. When transitions happen, an organization should follow equitable processes. Many times, a white male with experience will be the next best leader to step in. Other times, it will be a black female or someone who is South Asian.

The critical understanding for us today is that we need Jonathans in our world who are in places of privilege to look around for Davids who are better fit to lead and pave the way to changeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;this is an essential aspect of God honouring privilege. God allows for privilege, and at the same time, He requires us to use our privilege justly to advance the plights of those He has called. You and I should consider what privilege we have experienced and whether it is purposed to benefit ourselves or someone else. The story of privilege requires more than one perspective. Jonathanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s story provides a unique perspective on privilege and challenges us to further reflect on our own experience and use of privilege. As we continue to look further into Israelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first kings, we learn another perspective as we find the humble shepherd, David, wrestling with his privilege.

David

the reluctant king

Chapter

Trust God to bring you into positions of privilege He designed for you David was indeed the man whom God had chosen to become the next king of Israel, due to his humble stature in life, not his privilege. David was in a perfect position to become the next king. After Saul’s disobedience, God instructed Samuel that it was time to anoint a new king for Israel. Samuel was to go back to the tribe of Judah, the privileged tribe, and God would show him the new king. Upon arriving at Jesse’s house, God told Samuel that one of Jesse’s sons was to be the next king. Jesse did what any proud father would do, line up his sons, oldest to youngest, and let the prophet choose the most worthy. Jesse would have known that God chose Saul because he was the eldest, strongest, most handsome one in the entire tribe. Surely God would use the same rating scale to select the next king. But He didn’t. Samuel and Jesse had not even called David into the lineup of potential kings because he was too young, and his job was to watch the sheep. The other brothers had more important jobs like fighting in Saul’s army or leading the family business. But God wanted to teach Samuel, Jesse, and us another lesson in privilege. If God has designed a role for each of us, God will not overlook us. Wek

We don’t have to fight for it; God will bring it our way—this is a lesson that David would eventually wish that his sons would have been able to figure out, but that lesson is for the next chapter. At this moment, let’s keep our attention out in the fields with the young shepherd boy chosen to be king.

If God has designed a role for us, God will not overlook us. We don't have to fight for it; God will bring it our way.. When Samuel was looking over the boys, Jesse’s eldest son Eliab stood out to him just as Saul had stood out years before. But God had a new instruction for him. “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7) Of all the boys that Jesse had brought to show the prophet, Eliab, had the right height and skills, but not the right heart. The one with the right heart was off being an obedient son, learning his battle and leadership lessons away from the spotlight because he did not stand out as having a righteous heart. But God saw what was going on with David, and when all of David’s older brothers did not meet God’s qualifications for becoming the next king, finally they summoned David from the fields. When Samuel laid eyes on him, God confirmed that this was the one. Samuel made the proper sacrifices and anointed David as the next king. David was taken immediately to the palace and assumed the nation’s leadership—except it didn’t happen that way! David went back to the fields, and life went on as usual. Saul was still king. Jonathan remained next in line to the throne, and no one knew about David. If I were David or even Jesse, I would have questioned the timing of all this. If God wanted me to be king, why did He call me out and leave me waiting? Couldn't God have waited to let me know this? Why mess with my head like that?

God chose David because he didn’t seek after the position of influence and privilege. If God wanted him there, God would place him there. If now was not the right time for him, David just needed to go back to what he had always done, serving his father and learning about God. As the story develops, we see David bringing a care pack to his brothers, who are “fighting” for King Saul. More correctly, the Philistine giant, a warrior nearly 10 feet tall, teases and challenges the Israelite army day after day to a one-on-one battle, with the winner being awarded the loser nation as slaves. As David enters the army camp, he hears what has been happening and pictures the number of times he had fought off a 200 lb lion attacking the sheep flock. To David, this giant is no more significant threat than a lion. So he asks the king if he can take on Goliath. Saul is curious but thankful that at least someone is brave enough to fight. Not even his strong son Jonathan had stepped up to this challenge. In his wisdom and experience, Saul wants to outfit David in the royal armour, but David makes a bold statement. “I can’t go in these...” (1 Samuel 17:39). He was calling out the fact that he would be different than Saul. As we know, David kills Goliath, moves into the palace with the king and befriends Jonathan. Saul felt his throne threatened by David and attempted to kill him. Jonathan helps David escape. Saul chases after David, knowing that if he doesn’t take care of David, Jonathan will lose the privilege afforded to him, but God is allowing the throne to pass to David. David catches Saul in a cave, relieving himself, and everyone around believes that this is David’s chance to grab power. But the decision is easy for David; he cuts a piece of Saul’s robe to prove that he had the opportunity. David also understood that it was not his time to take Saul’s throne; he needed to wait and keep trusting God—an essential lesson on privilege.

After Saul left the cave and David was a safe distance away, David called out to Saul, showed him the robe and exclaimed, “May the Lord judge between us. Perhaps the Lord will punish you for what you are trying to do to me, but I will never harm you.” (1 Samuel 24:12) This same scenario played out again, but David would hold true to his character. When the time came that Jonathan would die in battle, and Saul was minutes away from being captured and tortured by an enemy army, David did not want to participate or celebrate the royal family’s demise. This royal family had tried to kill him and had been standing in the way of David becoming king. David was crushed over their death, even to the point that he executed Saul’s armour bearer, who claimed to carry out Saul’s final wishes of being killed by a friend as mercy killing rather than being captured and tortured by an enemy.

God did not design you and me to take destiny into our own hands. God will speak dreams into our hearts that are not for reality until decades into the future. The lesson here is clear. Many people in our current society are equipped and gifted by God to lead for a season. In our humanity, the challenge is that we would want that season to start now and last forever. We work diligently to get trained, noticed, and elevated to positions of influence as early and as often as we possibly can. In doing so, we violate the lesson of privilege that David modelled for us thousands of years ago. God did not design you and me to take destiny into our own hands. God will speak dreams into our hearts that are not for reality until decades into the future. God did it with Abraham; He did it with Joseph; He did it with David; He will do it with you. Suppose we find ourselves in a position of service below our capabilities; these are not necessarily the

the times for us to battle society to get what we deserve. These are the battles for a Jonathan, not the battles for a David. David’s battles were to fight the giant when Saul permitted and to prove loyalty to Saul when in hiding. Whatever position we find ourselves in, privileged like Jonathan or subservient like David, we need to understand what our battle is.

In our world today, racial and gender inequities exist both within Canada and beyond our borders. Unless we deal with these issues, it will plague our society for years to come as in centuries past. Again, this is one place where Scripture does not line up 100% with my worldview. I would think that whatever is right needs to be shouted from the rooftops, and whatever is wrong needs to be torn down, stopping at nothing short of sin to fix. But Scripture doesn’t teach us that. “For the Lord’s sake, submit to all human authority—whether the king as head of state, or the officials he has appointed.” (1 Peter 2:13-14) The question is, do I want to shape the world in the way that I can see is best, or do I trust that God is still in control, even when there is ugliness all around me? Will I fight only the battles that God has called me to fight? It’s in these moments that our faith is tested at levels that we never imagined when we first said ‘yes’ to Jesus and figured that the rest would be easy. Saying ‘yes’ is the easy part; demonstrating that I trust this ‘yes’ is much harder. We understand that: God gives privilege to some and not to others. If I have privilege, God expects me to use it properly. If my life and training deserve privilege, but I have not yet received it, fighting for privilege is not my battle to fight.

These are three parts of the story of privilege demonstrated by Israel's first kings but still not the entire story.

Absalom

the king who was never supposed to be king

Chapter

Shut out the voices that tempt you with greater privilege Absalom is probably less known to you than the other three “kings” we have studied. If you need to learn or refresh your memory on all that unfolded in his life, I encourage you to pause here and read 2 Samuel 13-18 to get a complete understanding of what we’re about to discuss. Absalom was David’s third eldest son and a man who was principled and passionate. “Principled” is not a word often used to describe Absalom but let me make a case. In 2 Samuel 13:20, David’s eldest son Amnon raped his half-sister Tamar; it was Absalom who was disgusted by this and took Tamar into his home. He provided for her since she was a shamed woman in the culture, destined never to have a family of her own. Because of his principles and compassion, he would even go on to name his first daughter after her. Since the pleasure of life was taken from Tamar, unable to marry and create a life on her own, Absalom carried out his understanding of justice on his brother and took Amnon’s life (2 Samuel 13:29). Given that David’s second son, Kileab, did not live into his adult life, Absalom was next to become king given the monarchy’s traditional rules of succession. Disregarding

Disregarding tradition, David decided that his eldest son from Bathsheba would become king; a vow later referred to in 1 Kings 1:13, “My lord the king, didn’t you make a vow and say to me, ‘Your son Solomon will surely be the next king and will sit on my throne?’” Absalom would have known David and Bethsheba’s marriage had unethical beginnings and why this was not the rightful lineage for the kingdom. David’s marriage to Absalom’s mother, Macaah, was legitimate. Absalom should have become king; an argument that Absalom’s half-brother Adonijah would use as well after Absalom’s death in 1 Kings 1.

Absalom was impulsive and crude in his methods, but his motives seem logical and justified. He knew that his father would never see it the way he did. So he devised a plan to win the hearts of the people and have them decide that Absalom should be king. Daily, Absalom would sit out in front of the palace and listen to the court cases people were trying to bring to the king. He would sympathize with whoever was there and tell them that things would be different if he were to become the next king (2 Samuel 15:1-5). He would receive no further credit, just their friendship, and after years of this practice, Absalom had a critical mass of people who wanted him to be king, so he set himself up to enact a coup. Even one of David’s trusted advisors, Ahithophel, whose wisdom had led David’s kingdom to thrive, shifted allegiances when he saw the kind of momentum Absalom had achieved. Positions taken before the appropriate season of time never seem to last very long. Absalom declared himself king in the temple; he slept with his father’s concubines set aside for only the king; and assembled 12,000 troops to take David, but it was not meant to be. So it wasn’t. In short order, David’s troops defeated Absalom’s army. During the battle, Absalom came upon some of David’s men and got caught in a tree as he tried to flee. D

David’s army commander ended Absalom’s life as he dangled from the tree. Absalom died too young, in a leadership position that was never supposed to be his. Often, there are positions in our lives that we may see ourselves having the skills to fulfill. In many cases, we feel we could fill the position at a level much higher than the individual presently holding the position: If I were the premier, I would do it differently than she does. If I had the authority to change the company policy around working from home, it would run so much more efficiently, and customer service would be ten times better.

A proper perspective on God and privilege recognizes that if I trust God is in control, He will bring the right leaders into place. There probably are situations where you would make a different, perhaps an even better decision in the face of a particular challenge. Yet, before getting overconfident in your leadership skills, it’s essential to ask yourself a few questions: Is there information of which I am unaware that is influencing the decisions of the current leader? Do the priorities of the current leader differ from mine? Could that be why things run a certain way rather than running my way? And most importantly, has God intended for the current leader to be in a place of power, and can I trust God’s plan for them to have the influence instead of me?

A proper perspective on God and privilege recognizes that if I trust that God is in control, He will bring the right leaders into place. I don’t need to re-arrange my life to take over things God has not presently positioned me to take over. Earlier, we had quoted both Paul

Paul and Peter, who reminded the followers of Jesus not to question God’s judgment on who He placed in leadership. The reason being that it’s prevalent for these Absalom/David situations to arise. Peter and Paul wrote to New Testament believers living under Roman rule. The Roman Empire taxed the people heavily, which never allowed Israel to regain its freedom as a nation. Could you imagine if our Canadian tax dollars went to the United States? The outrage we would have and the demand for justice would be constant. When Peter and the disciples were with Jesus after His resurrection, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?” (Acts 1:6) They wanted Rome out and Jesus in. Absalom wanted Solomon out and himself in. Who is the leader that you want out?Is it possible that you are short-sighted like the disciples thinking that God’s kingdom is about domestic change? Or are you being tempted with privilege like Absalom, figuring you know better?

Leadership is not easy, and every leader makes mistakes. Sometimes the leader isn’t even making a mistake; they are just making a judgment call different than yours or mine. But when leaders fail or make decisions differently than you would, your call is not to tear them down or devise a plan to take control. Your role is to pray. “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.” (1 Timothy 2:1-2) Remember the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30? There were three different individuals, given three different amounts of money to care for by the master. I’ve often wondered why this story doesn’t address the topic of jealousy or frustration that one servant received ten times the amount of resources than another. But Jesus didn’t want to put our focus on those kinds of battles. Instead

Instead, He wanted us to keep our eyes on our own business and work diligently with what has been entrusted to us as individuals and leave Him to worry about what He gives to others. The crux of the debate raging in our world today focuses on systemic racism that existed generations ago with an unjust, unbiblical system of making slaves out of people whose skin was not the desired colour for the society. There were also people despised for no other reason than their parents had been part of an undesirable caste level. The gap of wealth, land ownership, good-paying jobs, and positions of influence became so massive that even when we disassembled the systems that made judgments and separations based on colour, the damage had already been done. The rich got richer, and the powerful got more powerful. Those in power continued to hand power over to those who thought and functioned as they did.

Even if we are correctly able to identify a system of privilege that needs adjustment, to forcefully change the system without God making the way possible for us to do so leaves us in the footsteps of Absalom. Absalom had seen enough of what was going on with his father’s way of ruling and was ready to change the system to benefit others. He prepared to tip the system and do things a different way. Although his heart was in the right place, his methods were wrong. Right motives and wrong methods do not lead to Godhonouring pathways. Even if we are correctly able to identify a system of privilege that needs adjustment, to forcefully change the system without God making the way possible for us to do so leaves us in the footsteps of Absalom. By comparison, Jonathan’s and David’s of our world are just as able to make changes without creating the carnage to a family and a nation that Absalom did. In the

the end, Absalom’s story leaves the country divided, the family broken, and David mourning the death of another one of his sons. Change doesn’t have to come at the expense of lives and peace. When change comes at such a cost, we should consider if God is asking us to be the one to make that change, or if we are trying to make ourselves kings and rulers over areas intended for someone else.

As with all parts of these stories, you cannot understand privilege from only one person’s perspective. We should not try to be Absaloms, taking authorities not permissioned to us. We must trust God that being Jonathans and making space for our world’s Davids to lead. I wonder what would have happened if Absalom had worked with his father, David, and his brother, Solomon, to help administer better justice rather than aggressively trying to take control for himself. Absalom neglected to realize the difference he could have made in less influential areas as he obsessed with becoming the leader. Often in our lives we neglect the impact we can make in the circle of influence afforded to us because instead, we may dream of the more significant global impact we could have if we had more power. Systems of privilege certainly need to change. It starts with each home addressing the need for change as a family, extending into our schools and workplaces, to give equal opportunities and make allowances for those starting at a disadvantage. Indeed, our political, commercial, and religious leaders need to be part of the change, but if each one made an impact in their sphere of influence, a significant change would be so much easier. Sometimes the lure of influence makes us forget the root cause of why we began our journey in the first place. But there is still yet more to the story of privilege; more to learn from the wisest king given the privilege to lead God’s people.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.â&#x20AC;? 1

T i m o t h y

2 : 1 - 2

Solomon

the king who wanted what was best

Chapter

Privilege submitted to God makes the nation thrive Solomon takes the throne of Israel just as the nation is about to reach its peak in size and wealth. His military father, David, had led conquests that expanded Israel’s borders to the largest they would ever be—to the south, the Sinai desert (closing in on the Egyptian border), and the north, touching the edge of the Euphrates River. The area was approximately three times the size of Israel today, encompassing parts of present-day Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria. 1 Kings 10:14 says, “Each year Solomon received 25 tons of gold.” Today, a ton of gold is worth an estimated 64 million dollars, meaning Solomon brought approximately 1.6 billion dollars’ worth of gold into Israel during his reign each year. Solomon knew privilege. He also knew the consequences of envy; learned from the downfall of his brother, Absalom. Solomon would probably have been aware of how his mother, Bathsheba, came to be David’s wife. David’s manipulation of Uriah, Bathsheba’s first husband, was the one biblical account we have of David giving in to the temptation privilege brings our way. Indeed, Solomon would have heard his father tell stories of his friend Jonathan, and how Jona

Jonathan used privilege correctly, while his father Saul did not. Solomon would have all this context as he prepared to take the throne of Israel. When he began his reign as king, God offered Solomon an opportunity to choose what kind of leader he would be. “That night God appeared to Solomon and said, ‘What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!’ Solomon replied to God, ‘You showed great and faithful love to David, my father, and now you have made me king in his place. O Lord God, please continue to keep your promise to David my father, for you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth! Give me the wisdom and knowledge to lead them properly, for who could possibly govern this great people of yours?’” (2 Chronicles 1:7-10)

Solomon knew that his greatest successes would come from the ability to act wisely and judge correctly in the face of adversity. Solomon had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in front of him, with God Himself offering Solomon anything in the world. Solomon already had wealth, power, and prestige, so why would he need to ask for anything else? Throughout history, leader after leader has demonstrated that the desire for more money can never be satisfied. An NBA star always pursues the maximum contract. An emperor chases after one more colony to generate greater tax revenue. Solomon wrote, “Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness!” (Ecclesiastes 5:10) Solomon knew that his greatest successes would come from the ability to act wisely and judge correctly in the face of adversity. So, he asked God for wisdom that would allow him to lead in ways like no other king before had. We find the classic example of Solomon's wisdom in 1 Kings 3 when two women arguing over a child's true identity come before the king

king to determine who is the real mother. Solomon so adeptly understood the human heart that he knew the actual mother would never allow her child to be sawed in half. When he proposed such a gruesome resolution to the argument, the liar revealed herself by agreeing to such an awful action. If we can understand the human motive, we can truly separate ourselves from our peers in terms of influence in our world.

Being submissive to God was a position in which Solomon postured himself and his country. Because Solomon did not ask for riches, God gave them to him, “God said to Solomon, ‘Because your greatest desire is to help your people, and you did not ask for wealth, riches, fame, or even the death of your enemies or a long life, but rather you asked for wisdom and knowledge to properly govern my people—I will certainly give you the wisdom and knowledge you requested. But I will also give you wealth, riches, and fame such as no other king has had before you or will ever have in the future!’” (2 Chronicles 1:11-12) God blessed Solomon with riches used to build the most elaborate house of worship ever constructed. Nearly 4,000 tons of gold were used in the construction of the temple, as noted in 1 Chronicles 22. The same math used earlier values the gold in the temple alone at 256 trillion dollars. Solomon, the wisest person, ever, decided that the nation's wealth was to be used for God's kingdom. He determined that the crown jewel of the country was to be the temple. Dignitaries from all over the world, visited Israel to see the place of worship dedicated to Yahweh, the Lord God. Solomon reigned with the mindset not to benefit himself but to lead others in worship—and the country thrived. It’s hard for people who live in Western society to understand this, but democracy is not the governance model of heaven’s kingdom. The very word "kingdom" should give it away. Christianity

Christianity is a theocratic monarchy, or in short, a theocracy. We have a God (as king) who is in charge. Our democracy would only ever be biblical in model if our elected leader deferred as Solomon did, investing the country’s energies, wealth, and focus into the worship of the Lord God. Now before you take my Canadian citizenship away, please know I am not suggesting that I am opposed to democracy. Democracy has proven to be an essential piece of political history, giving citizens the ability to choose their leader. However, in recent times, we have seen the shortfalls of democracy, manipulated for personal power, possessed and retained only by a particular class of people. Democratic leaders can certainly use personal wealth and influence to sway votes their way. Some would even go as far as to suggest that the only way to become a president or prime minister is to backroom deal and buy your way there. In fact, democracy is where we have seen large discrepancies between those who have privilege and those who do not.

When the nation’s leader, who came from privilege, used his privilege to lead people in the ways of God, the people all experienced the privilege of being God’s children. But it’s not unique to democracy. Monarchies, republics, dictatorships, and everything in between have all seen the same problem repeatedly. When human beings are in control and desire to gain wealth and power, groups of people are left behind. On the contrary, under Solomon’s rule, 1 Kings 4:20, 24 tells us that Judah and Israel’s people all thrived and had plenty to eat while living with peace and prosperity. When the nation’s leader, who came from privilege, used his privilege to lead people in the ways of God, the people all experienced the privilege of being God’s children. That’s the way the kingdom of heaven Paul taught us in the New Test

Testament that we are not just children of earthly parents; we are citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20), with all the privileges of being the King’s sons and daughters. The temporary inequalities and troubles we face in Canada today are because too many of our leaders and forefathers neglected to bring our nation’s attention back to God. Even at the beginning of Jewish history, before they ever inhabited the physical space God had promised to them, and they were living as desert nomads in the Sinai region, God prospered them, provided for them, and caused them to thrive (Deuteronomy 29:5-6).

We see the kingdom of heaven described as this beautiful place, where there is no distinction between us regardless of gender, race, or status (Galatians 3:28-29). We are all called heirs to the promise God originally made with Abraham when the “People of God” was nothing more than a comparison to stars in the sky or grains of sand on a beach. Followers of Jesus should be living out this kind of kingdom every day of their lives. Just because our country does not govern this way, it does not prevent us from existing this way. When you and I collectively join together to put God first, each other second, and ourselves towards the bottom of the list, then God will cause us to thrive. The challenge with Canada and Western ideology is that we work hard to thrive for ourselves. We want a good job, nice house, extra time off, and early retirement to travel the world. Our entire mindset is that the best life is privileged. God’s kingdom is unlike the modern world. In God’s kingdom, we are all servants of each other and sons and daughters of the King. We trust Him to provide; we lay down our rights instead of fighting for them. Solomon was the king who had the opportunity to ask for it all, and instead just asked for the ability to know that he shouldn’t desire these things. He was the king who asked not for privilege but wisdom. What a different life this would be if each of us desired wisdom instead of privilege!

You

the king of your own story

Chapter

God has designs on what He has invest in you Too often, we look to find a character in the Bible to model ourselves after: I'm an Esther; I'm the one to stand up to the king I'm a Joshua; I'm the one to lead the battle. I'm a Peter; I will walk on water, defy the religious leaders, and lead the church into a new day.

We are none of these people. I am me, and you are you, and we each have a unique calling and gifting that God has entrusted only to us. God has not designed me to be any of those people, or He would have chosen me to be born thousands of years ago as a Jew, not in 1979 as a Canadian. God has invested something very unique in me, and He has a purpose and a calling for me. The question is, will I use my gifts in the way He has designed for me? The lessons of privilege we have just studied in the kings of Israel are just that, â&#x20AC;&#x153;lessons.â&#x20AC;? They are not examples for us to copy action by action. They are lessons that teach us parts of what we need to know to be God-honouring Christ-followers today. You need to take

take stock of the privilege God has invested in you and use it for His purposes like Jonathan, not for your purposes like Saul. Your call is never to tear down others as David showed us, and certainly not to force your time before God's time as Absalom tried to do. Instead, you are to use whatever privilege you have to lead people in righteous ways as Solomon so intuitively decided to do; to seek first the Kingdom of God instead of society's selfish ways, as was expected of Solomon.

God never asked us to fight for earthly privilege for everyone. He taught us to defer to each other in all ways, in all things. Over the past few years, our society has made the right moves in bringing attention to the disparity of privilege in our world, but we have often failed to do it in a way that honours God. Our efforts have often resulted in movements and demonstrations that have done more to divide us in even greater ways, rather than finding ways to bring kingdom wholeness and value to the centre of the conversation. Often the Christian voices in these discussions sound much too similar to the voices of the world. God never asked us to fight for earthly privilege for everyone. He taught us to defer to each other in all ways, in all things. Jesus taught that the new commandment He was giving for His followers was that we were to all love each other (John 13:34) and that the most effective way we could ever show love to someone else is to lay down our lives and our rights for them (John 15:13). This teaching applies equally to everyone: white lay down your life for black; king lay down your life for slave; man lay down your life for woman. Love each other by deferring to each other. Each of us is to lay down our life for the other. And in the backwards, counter-cultural way of the Kingdom of God, the reverse of each of these statements is also true.

The Christian discussion of privilege needs to be one that does not fixate on the privileges each of us feels we deserve. Our discussion needs to recognize the privilege God has given each of us and how we can use whatever space of influence that we have to make the way easier for others. So make an investment into the kingdom in the place where God has positioned you. You do not need to be David, for David had his flaws. You only need to be you. David is not presently able to teach your family about the proper use and perspective of privilege. Only you can. Only you can impact the specific people whom God has arranged around you. Our experience can be a very different way to understand privilege if you be you, I will be me, and together, we trust God as we remember the Lord's Prayer: "Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

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