Holy People

September 10, 2008
I Peter 1:1-2
“I, Peter, am an apostle on assignment by Jesus, the Messiah, writing to exiles scattered to the four winds. Not one is missing, not one forgotten. God the Father has his eye on each of you, and has determined by the work of the Spirit to keep you obedient through the sacrifice of Jesus. May everything good from God be yours!”
I sat in the Honolulu airport last week and watched that usual airport scene that so many of us have witnessed. The flight attendants began to call for boarding first of the first class passengers who seemed to pride themselves on their ideal seating. These were people who walked a little taller and didn’t seem to engage themselves with others. As they boarded and the rest of us looked on awaiting our turns, the attendants were particular to have them proceed down the “elite” boarding aisle. No general boarders were to go down that aisle. Mind you, there was no physical boundary just the imaginary line that the airline hoped everyone would envision that extended from one sign’s arrow. Next the so-called “elite” boarders were invited on board and finally those of us who were to cram ourselves into the coach seats.
The books of Peter, though probably not written by him, were written to likes of the general boarders. They were sent specifically to the Jewish Christians who had been scattered in the Diaspora. Most likely the author didn’t know these people personally but had heard of their stories as the stories had made their way to Rome. These two books constitute letters that were written under the guidelines of ancient letters with the mission of exhorting people to claim the “living hope” that was theirs. That hope began first in understanding themselves as holy people—people who in spite of their physical scattering were not forgotten, were valued by God and by their fellow Christians. The author wants them to understand that in spite of their physical displacement that they were looked upon with grace and they were beloved.
The perceived attitudes of the first class boarders by the rest of us indicated to us that these people didn’t value us. They were centered on themselves. They couldn’t see the holiness in us nor could they witness God’s grace in us. It was easy for us to make that assessment of them but if we are honest, the very fact that we had perceptions of their attitudes indicated that we also could not see the holiness in them nor could we view God’s grace.
Peter’s opening words were for those scattered in the Diaspora about words of hope and the encouragement that not only had they not been forgotten but the holiness that existed in them was being acknowledge by those who didn’t even know them personally!
What lessons exist for us in that! How often in daily life do we fail to look upon others with grace? What are the ways that we can begin to see each other with different eyes? This is the call of these simple verses—that we see the holiness that exists in being “general boarders!” May we witness holiness and grace in each other this week! Amen.