Privilege

Privilege. How does that word hit you? Your answer will depend on your culture and lived experience. In my culture, this word is polarizing. The irony is thick as neighbors of the same socioeconomic class argue over privilege like it is a derogatory name... “Yes you are!” shouts one, “No, I’m not!” retorts the other. And while I have the privilege of parsing out this detail on social media, my fellow man across town is suffering under the thumb of injustice, hungry for food and starving for dignity.

The reality is that I live with immense privilege. That doesn’t mean that everything in life was handed to me. What it does mean is that I will not be racially profiled. It means that my presence in a crowd doesn’t make people nervous. It means my life is not in danger because of my tribe.

Why does this matter? In God’s economy, it isn’t enough for me to point and say “I didn’t cause that injustice, so I’m not responsible to fix it.” Rather, the invitation into God’s economy is to bring my privilege and lay it at the feet of Jesus. For some, it may be popularity; for others it may be wealth, success, athleticism, ethnicity, status or other ways in which they are at an advantage over others. The question is: what will I do with my privilege? Will I use it to my own advantage or will I lay it down for the benefit of others?

_Heavenly Father, you have given me much. Forgive me for the times when I have acted the part of the oppressor. As you change me from the inside out, please make me an advocate for the immigrant, the orphan, and the widow. _

Throughout This Day: Remember that there is no partiality with God, who has created all humans in his image and invites all tribes, nations, and tongues to equal privileges and blessings in Christ (Ephesians 1-3).