-Paul now addresses those who were in the position of actually owning another human being, of being in a postition of power over them. When we have power over someone else, our temptation is to look down on them, imagining that I am somehow better than them by virtue of my position, due somehow to my birth or intelligence or experience or hard work and whatever paper I may have displayed on my wall. And I may want to take advantage of the situation, to take advantage of that other individual for personal gain. But no, Paul says. We must always view and treat all people as equals, no matter what temporal position I occupy (have been granted) in relation to them, and I must treat them right.
-Justice means that when people have been given power over another person, they do what is right by them. They don’t abuse them or that power. They don’t exploit them. They don’t skimp on providing what is reasonable and necessary in order for them to function or in terms of repayment. They don’t hold them accountable or force them to work in ways that are inconsistent or unduly harsh. Justice can be hard to find in a fallen world, especially on the fringes of society, among those who are living on the margins, those who are vulnerable, those who are dispossessed of family or home or of a sound mind. Indeed, God’s heart is with those who are vulnerable (cf Psalms 68.5, 146.9), He cares deeply about the plight of those who are at risk of being exploited or forgotten by those with power, power over them, power to provide justice (both the ability and the means to secure it). And He is swift to condemn those who fail to provide justice (Isaiah 1.23). In the ancient world, we see special consideration extended particularly to orphans and widows, to strangers and aliens, and to the poor (cf Deuteronomy 24.17, 27.19, Jeremiah 7.5-7, Malachi 3.5). Those who are poor, who lack material and personal resources, who are without a voice or influence or connections, almost always find themselves at the mercy of others. Our world is filled with voiceless ones, powerless and defenseless, real or potential victims of injustice. Modern-days slaves trafficked into sweat shops and labor camps and brothels. Unborn babies. Refugees. Women trapped in dangerous relationships. Children growing up in dangerous homes. And most definitely the poor. And today’s power-brokers are more than just the politicians and abortionists and slum lords and bosses. Power resides in many places. It is afforded to those who are bigger and stronger, to the wealthy and yes to the middle class (wealthy compared to most), to parents and pastors and teachers and coaches and neighbors, to anyone who encounters a neighbor in need, and sadly to anyone who encounters one who is weaker than them. Christ-followers are to extend special consideration and justice to all, especially to those in need. Certainly to our kids and to our spouses, and to those in proximity to us. We must do right by others and treat them right. Which is exactly how we would want others to treat us, isn’t it? Who among us wants to be exploited or taken advantage of or abused in any way? Exactly. But wait - there’s more. We are actually told to go further, to go out of our way to defend and vindicate and plead for the cause of those who are vulnerable (Psalms 82.3, Proverbs 31.9, Isaiah 1.17, Jeremiah 5.28). We are probably way too unengaged in this regard.
-And equality means that I am no better than anyone else, no matter what power I have been given over others, no matter what station I occupy in life, regardless of my size or wealth or intelligence or country of origin. I am no better than anyone else. All men are created equal, are they not? This is not some utopian pipedream scrawled in fancy script on some old document. It is timeless truth that derives from the fact that there is One Who has made every one of us, Who is infinitely greater than all. The sad reality is that fallen man, separated and hiding from the One Who made him and knows him and loves him warts and all, full of insecurity, always struggling to feel better about himself - tries to feel better about himself at the expense of his fellow man. I am better than the person next to me, I tell myself. I am better than they are. I am better looking, bigger, stronger, faster, smarter, more educated, more important, better at doing things than them. I am better. This is easy to believe when I have been given a position of power of somebody. The truth is, we are all the same. God sees us all the same. We really are all equals.
-The great equalizer, the truth that levels the playing field, is that all people great and small, strong and weak, have the same Supreme Master in heaven. He is Omnipotent Almighty God, the One with all the power in heaven and earth, and He shares it with whoever He wishes. There is no power I might have over another person which has not been given to me from above (cf John 19:11, Daniel 2.37, 4.17, 4.25, 5.21). All authority structures are instituted by God (Romans 13.1), and those who are so entrusted with God’s power will be held accountable for how they wield it, just as others will be called to account for how they submitted to it. Understanding that I have a Master in heaven not only helps me know what it is like to be held accountable but also how those under authority would like to be treated. Woe to the realm where the ruler answers to no one. But woe as well to me if I don’t wield any power I have been given rightly, treating other right and treating them as equals. With respect. With consideration. With humility. With kindness and as a servant. This was the example set for us by our Master, and He expects us to do likewise (John 13.14-15).
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