There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism. (NLT)

Have you lived life apart from the way God designed you to? I certainly have! And it’s probably no surprise that I reaped what I was sowing. Just like today’s Scripture says, trouble and calamity are what I found as pain, heartbreak, struggle, and despair resulted.

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It’s easy to read this verse without context and think the point is for us to just stop doing what's wrong and start doing good. But the truth is the meaning of these verses are far deeper than first meets the eye. First off, we aren’t capable of only doing good on our own. Apart from God, our tendency is sin.  

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But what does it mean that “God does not show favoritism”? If you have been following along with our series or have some familiarity with the book of Romans, then you may have realized a common theme – God’s standard is the same for all. And likewise, he calls us into the same path to something better (both the Jew and the Gentile). We all have the same problem of falling short. And we all need the same solution: the gospel.

The history of two people may be different, but the problem is the same. And we all have the need for the same solution – Jesus. You see, no matter how hard you or I try, we can’t ever be good enough on our own. But if we put our faith in Jesus, we are seen through the lens of his righteousness. It’s not about trying to be good enough, religious enough, or from the right family, because the fact is that those efforts are futile. But if we ask Jesus to come into our hearts, he will do a good work in us. He will change us. And although we don’t deserve it, we will be given life.  

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Thank the Lord that God doesn’t show favoritism in his call to holiness. Instead, he applies the standard to us all. And he extends his unfathomable love despite who we are, where we came from, or what we’ve done. We are incapable on our own of both sides of this coin:  either doing something to earn the life that God calls us into OR to disqualify ourselves from it. Instead, a way was made for us, and all we have to do is accept it.  

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Have you ever fallen into the trap of thinking that there was something you could do on your own to be good enough? Maybe you’ve found yourself thinking religion would be enough to save you.  The truth of the gospel is so much better.  

Lord, thank you for loving me. You didn’t show favoritism to others who were doing things better than me. You met me where I was. You won me over with your love. And you’ve continuously called me into something better even though I’m so far from perfect and undeserving. Your grace is abundant, and I’m forever thankful. In Jesus’ name, Amen.