Know one's place

What does it mean to know one’s place? The obvious is to not initiate contact with those of higher position without valid reason. For example is an encounter between a well to do Indonesian condo residence and an Indonesian foreign worker. The worker felt emboldened to approach the wealthy Indonesian after overhearing Bahasa Indonesia spoken on passing. His only reason for contact was just to establish camaraderie obviously.

Little did he know that he is stepping out of social boundaries acceptable in Asian society where class, strata or position are determined by complex rules. Your net worth, type of housing, race, education and income is just a few obvious one. Individuals decide what mix of variables they will apply when they devise the class system. Some might consider education as the only supreme deciding factor. Yet for others one’s alma mater is more important. Some might choose a blend of education and type of housing. Being wealthy may not get you to your desired place because still others see only the age of the wealth that’s important. Like fine wine, the older the better. It’s no wonder it is not easy to form lasting friendship because of this mentality. The sense of being assessed is emanated during unofficial encounters. Position is mentally evaluated as one become richer or poorer, moves from one neighborhood to another, or attains a higher degree or higher position in the workplace. That position sometime is not a guaranteed one as the other party might move up faster than the other.

Because of this, relating to others is like embarking on a minefield. One wrong step can hurt and embarrassed a person. In this highly competitive world, it is natural to want to reach up. Many seek the connection to people from higher up in business, academic, government, and in a church organization as well.

Christians are not immune to this mentality. In addition to the usual pitfalls, in the church, the strata are also determined, to name a few, by level of church service, financial contribution, and very often outward spirituality (meaning the ability to explain the bible, locate bible verses and pray audibly with eloquence). Often though, status in church is determined by how close you are to the senior pastor’s inner circle. Christian brotherly love is dispensed of discriminately based on the strata making us a stumbling block to others.

Some of you may have the experience of being left out, slighted, looked upon as lower in status, forgotten, excluded, neglected, ignored, patronized, or forsaken. And you asked, “Where is the love?” Some of you choose to keep to yourselves and hence lead friendless and disconnected lives. The questions one should ask are these: Do you know your place? Have you overstepped the boundary? Have you act humbly, consider nothing of yourself and be of service to others? How gracious are you in overlooking others’ boundary overstepping offence and shower the person with unreserved Christian brotherly love?Where is the love? The bible says that we are to love one another because this love is our trade mark and selling point. If latest heart scan technology can determine how much and how well spread our love for others is, what will it say? All around love for all God’s creation or discriminating love dispensed only to only select few who are of the same position, same race, or just deserving?

Remember God’s greatest law? Love God and love others.