Something has been on my mind for several years now, but it seems too socially incorrect to say. Today, I garner the courage to say it. There are times when it is OK to discriminate and leave others out. Let me explain with a few examples.
Yesterday, we celebrated Father’s Day. Fatherhood is worth celebrating and should be honored highly. But some have included single, divorced and widowed mothers in this celebration. Now, I am not taking away from the sacrifice of these women who do extra duty for their children, but it is not their day. They are not fathers. Honoring only the fathers on this day does not take away from these ladies at all, but, adding them to the honor of the day does change the honor given to fatherhood. This is a day for fathers, not mothers – and that’s OK. Even if there were no Mother’s Day, it would be OK to celebrate the fathers on a day set aside for them. A little discrimination is OK.
Memorial Day is the day set aside here in the United States to honor those who have fallen in battle to pay the price for our freedom. Some want to include veterans and currently serving members of the military and their spouses and children in this day of honor, but it is not their day, and that’s OK. It is a day set aside for remembering and honoring the dead heroes of our country. It is their day and we diminish it when we spread it thinner and include others in the honor. As a veteran myself, I have no problem giving the honor to others on that day. I would have no issue even if there were no Veteran’s Day set aside to honor the service we veterans gave. A little discrimination is OK.
We do this with our kids. Somewhere the idea was spread that everything has to be fair and equal so much that a kid can’t even have their own birthday without all the other kids getting a present. Or be praised for something they accomplished unless the other kiddos get a dose of praise as well. It can go like this. “Son, I am so proud of you today. You really made a good decision and carried it out flawlessly.” So far – so good. So, Stop! But we can’t just let him have his moment, and we go on. “Of course, I am proud of ALL my kids… blah, blah, blah.” Now we should be proud of all our kids, hopefully without discrimination. But it is a perfectly wonderful thing to give one of them a moment of preference when it is his turn. It builds the confidence of the one and the character of the other. A little discrimination is OK.
Please don’t think this writer to be harsh. Neither believe him to be uncaring. Rather understand the reality of our existence in this temporal world we call home is that discrimination happens very frequently. Someone eats, and someone is hungry, this is reality. Someone gets a job, and someone does not, this too is reality. One fisherman catches a record breaker, and another catches nothing at all, reality. Always treating everyone the same or making everything be about everybody does nothing to prepare people for this reality. In fact, it serves to prepare them for heartache and disappointment which will not be handled properly.
And there is another discrimination for which we must be ready. One which will be met with the same kind of whining and begging the unfair things of childhood are met with today, with one very significant exception. No fit throwing and no angry outburst, no cries of unfair and no amount of pouting will ever change the Father’s mind.
We should prepare for this, for, one day God will declare an end to what is and a beginning to what will be for all eternity. The matter will be ended with His declaration to those who have faith in Him being welcomed into Heaven and His presence. It will either be that, or it will be Hell and separation from all the goodness of God for all eternity. Nahum 1:7 says “The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him “(NKJV). HE KNOWS!
He knows who trusts Him and for them He will be a stronghold in that day. He knows those who don’t and for them it will be a day of trouble. Fair??? Who cares? Fair is over-rated, and God never claimed to be fair. Fair is a human thing which is only a thing because of our own sinful and selfish desires. Fair? Probably not. But it is reality. And since it is God, that discrimination is OK as well. Are you ready?
See You SONday,
Pastor Steve
© 2018 SF Gallagher