“But from those who seemed to be something—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God shows personal favoritism to no man—for those who seemed to be something added nothing to me.” Galatians 2:6

The Dinghy Arrival

Walk His Way Revisited

A few days ago, my mother related a story of something that happened in the 70’s. I had completely forgotten about it, but we had a good laugh when she reminded us of it. It wasn’t until later that day when I realized the spiritual application.

When I was a child, my family had a not-too-big, not-too-fancy boat docked in a bay. One night, my parents decided to go out to dinner at a ritzy restaurant located some distance away in another part of the bay. Rather than take the boat, they took our dinghy. The little outboard motor was attached to the back, and off they went into the calm, dark waters of the evening.

They motored along until they arrived at the long dockside where the other patrons’ beautiful yachts were tied up. As they arrived in the tiny dinghy, a gentleman in a tuxedo appeared. He held the boat’s rope while offering, with great decorum, his white-gloved hand to my mother to help her out of the dinghy, then stood aside at attention while my father disembarked. They were treated as if they were somebody special. He welcomed them warmly to the restaurant, then got into the dinghy himself to tie it up in an appropriate spot.

This valet made no distinction between yachts and dinghies. He did not make my parents feel “less than” merely because they did not arrive in something beautiful, something that spoke of riches. Of course, he was only doing his job, and the restaurant would not make any distinction either—my parents’ money could buy lobster just as the rich folks’ money could.

When I got to thinking about it, this is just how we come to the Father. Some have much, some have little. There is nothing to buy, of course; salvation is a free gift. But He makes no distinction between the rich and the poor. He is just as gracious if we come when we are young, or if we come when we are old. He loves us just as much if we worship in a mega-church, or worship in a shack. He accepts us if we pray in our Sunday best, or in our cut-off jeans.

We stand as equals before the Lord in the only thing that matters: we’re sinners saved by His grace. As our Scripture today says, those who seem to be something add nothing. It makes no difference. God shows no partiality—He makes no distinction, and we shouldn’t either.

Father, teach us to be truly impartial to all people, for Christ’s love is our example. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.