Our Father

 I recently listened to a sermon about the amazing privileges associated with being able to call almighty God “Our Father”.  It was reassuring and encouraging. 

But…

Our culture tempts us to focus on the privileges and skip the first word; “Our.”  This is important because He is not just “My Father.”  I am not an only child.  I am not more privileged than others, including those who are different (race, nationality, intelligence, college, eye color, political opinion, age, gender, economic status, whatever.)

This precludes me from being proud or arrogant about my status, because “… to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, He gave the right to become children of God (John 1: 12).”  The status is a gift, and has nothing to do with my race, nationality, intelligence, college, eye color, political opinion, age, gender, economic status, whatever.  The status is given to all who believe.  The status is not a license to be narcissistic.  Rather we are to act like we believe that “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world (James 1:27).”

We should be defending, loving, helping, and sacrificing for all our (God) siblings.  This is regardless of their race, nationality, intelligence, college, eye color, political opinion, age, gender, economic status, whatever.

God is not impressed with my position as an upper-middle-class, middle-aged (OK, old), white, male, suburbanite professor; he gave all of that to me.  What he is watching is what I do with it.  Do not say “God, I thank you that I am not like other men… (Luke 18:11),” but pray like this “Our Father… (Matt 6:9)” and all it implies.