Thoughts on life, love and faith by Plasticmind.

Sometimes life bluffs us into thinking that this world is a great, cosmic poker game. Some are dealt unlucky hands and some just seem to have all the aces tucked up their sleeve. And everyone thinks you need a good hand to win.

But God is no respecter of person, which means that he cannot be partial in his dealings to any one man or woman. Therefore the differences we see from person to person - height, weight, color, race, gender, family status, economic background-are not "unfair advantages". These variables may give us different standing in the world’s view; but in God’s eyes, variety is rather the raw material for a life of honor to Him. He rejects no one for being "different" - to do so would be hypocrisy for these are His very strokes on the canvas of humanity.

The tiny deaf child speaks in mumbled noises and we shake our head in sadness. A ragged man sits on the curb and bangs his tin can and we look away with a forced smiled. The ever present talker who seems to think of no one but himself follows us like a swarm of bees and we mumble under our breath… as if these "creatures" were any less deserving of God’s love than our pious self.

God forbid. We have grown so self-righteous that in our minds salvation comes to us because of who we are. What we have forgotten is that every righteous deed done in our own strength and for our glory is so vile and so absolutely repulsive that we might better wheel a cart of manure up to the pulpit Sunday morning and dump the entire cart out before the congregation. If we are created for His pleasure and for His glory, to live any other way is rebellion; that is why the wicked are damned.