To Forego Privilege

 

To Forego Privilege

For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

II Corinthians 8:9

There is nothing intrinsically wrong with being a person of privilege. God has, in His Providence and for His Own Glory, placed some people in that position. They are not wrong for being there, nor is it wrong to bring children into the world who are, in fact, privileged. The difficulty arises when pride and arrogance makes those people of privilege believe that they are better than others. This provokes them to cling very tightly to that position, and ‘to despise others.’ By contrast, we see Christ, in our text today Who, ‘though He was rich, yet for your sake he became poor.’ Here we find the truly spiritual use of privilege. We find that Christ, Who was, indeed the most ‘privileged’ of persons, forewent that position of privilege to relate utterly and completely, to those who are ‘of low estate.’ Behold, the compassion and utter humility of this condescending Christ, Who was willing to forego the greatest position of privilege in order to do the greatest good to the greatest number of people, all of whom were ‘of low estate.’  Here is the living embodiment of ‘practical Christianity.’ This is so much more than ‘checkbook evangelism.’ Here is ‘Christlikeness’ in the most Christlike form. ‘Though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor.’ So let us learn Christ; for the contemplation of Christ will lead us to the imitation of Christ.

Our Most Holy and Gracious Savior,
Your Bounty is immeasurable.
You have showered us with abundance.
You have made us rich, and we are rich indeed.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning