"Rich and poor have this in common: The LORD is the Maker of them all" (Prov. 22:2).
God has established diversity among His created beings. Some are rich, some poor. Some are extraordinarily talented; some simply blend with the masses in an ocean of mediocrity. Some hold high and lofty positions while others toil in a lowly station, destined to serve rather than rule. This is not a matter of injustice but of God’s sovereign will. He has wisely and fairly ordained men to be either rich or poor, talented or simple, rulers or servants.
Despite this, we are all equal in essence before God and one another. “All enter the world naked, helpless, unconscious beings; all stand in the same natural relation to their God; dependent on Him for their birth; the children of His Providence; the creatures of His moral government,” Bridges wrote. All face a life of afflictions, temptations, and trials. All will one day pass from this temporal existence and face the judgment of God. All are tainted with the same corruption. All like sheep have gone astray. Everyone needs redemption through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Yet the world is so designed that its great diversity of experience often blurs the line of equality we all share. While we are equal in our essence, God has not made us equal in our abilities, opportunities, or experience. Because this is God’s intention, any attempt to equalize humanity would only end in its denigration. Bridges wisely observed, “In equality of rank, could men continue for a single day? Difference of mind and talents, industry, self-denial, Providences, would shake the balance before the morning was gone. God never meant to level the world, any more than the surface of the earth. The distinction of rich and poor still remains in His appointment, and all attempts to sink it must end in confusion. To each of us are committed our several talents, duties, and responsibilities both to God and man. Let each of us therefore be given to our own work, and ‘abide in our calling with God’ (1 Cor. 7:24). ‘Let the brother of low degree rejoice, in that he is exalted; but the rich, in that he is made low’ (James 1:9, 10).” Because God is the Maker of both the rich and the poor, let each be content within his own divinely appointed sphere and bring glory to God by remaining faithful in his calling.
What culturally dominant political and social philosophies try to undermine God’s order in society? What happens to a society when you treat everyone as if they were equal in every respect? Examine your own belief system for any attempts to equalize humanity rather than an acceptance of God’s established order.
