Galatians 2:1-10
Be Still: Please give me humility and honesty as I spend time with you today, Lord Jesus. Help me to be open to go where you lead. Amen
Read: Galatians 2:1-10
As for those who were held in high esteem—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favouritism—they added nothing to my message. On the contrary, they recognized that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised. For God, who was at work in Peter as an apostle to the circumcised, was also at work in me as an apostle to the Gentiles. James, Cephas and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along. (vv6-10)
Encounter: Paul wasn’t cowed by the presence of ‘those held in high esteem’. He was courageous in preaching the gospel, led by his conviction that ‘God shows no favouritism’ (v:7). In Galatians 1 v:10, he says: ‘Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? …If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.’
Culture encourages us to look up to some and down on others; there will always be candidates for our esteem, and pressures to increase our own value in the sight of others. However, the Holy Spirit calls us to be counter-cultural. We should question the call to people-pleasing and approval-seeking, especially in a culture that esteems people based on wealth, power and looks. Where we might be tempted to look down on ourselves or others based on these values, we can remind ourselves – ‘God shows no favouritism’ (v:4).
However, Paul considers, despite his earlier proclamations, that James, Cephas and John deserve to be ‘esteemed as pillars’ (v:9): they recognised the Holy Spirit at work in him, supported his message, and re-emphasised the call to serve the poor. These are values to esteem!
Pause for a moment and consider those you esteem – do their words bring life? Not everyone's example will lead down righteous paths or nurture a calling in God’s kingdom.
Apply: Where do you chase status: in work, in looks, in wealth? How does the message that God does not show favouritism offer freedom for you today?
Whose voice holds sway with you? Consider who you follow on social media, the books you read, the TV you watch, people among your peers that you aspire to emulate. Are they inspiring you to live a life closer to Jesus?
Devote: Lord Jesus please guide me to live in the freedom that you show no favouritism. Please also show me people who I can learn from, particularly in walking more closely with you.