Issue 1770 Status July 14, 2025
There will be no Gleanings tomorrow as I have some overnight medical tests tonight. We will return on Wednesday,
On Friday evening, Kathy and I went for an ice cream cone at Birchwood Dairies, a favorite spot. That was followed by a country drive out to Chilliwack and back.
On the return visit, just outside of Abbotsford, I caught a rare sight: a mink in the wild. He crept out of some tall grasses and reeds to the edge of a seemingly permanent puddle next to the roadside.
I haven’t seen a mink in a couple of decades. They’re not uncommon, just primarily nocturnal, so seldom seen. I wasn’t able to take a picture as we passed by it in a moving car.
For over 150 years, minks have been farmed for their fur in Canada. The industry has largely disappeared with the decreased demand for fur, and has been banned in some provinces. Although fur coats have fallen in popularity in North America, having a mink coat remains a status symbol in China, Korea, and Russia.
Every culture has its status clothing. In the past, it might have been fine fur garments. Today, it might be designer labels. In biblical times, it was robes or other garments dyed purple.
We think nothing of wearing the color purple; in fact, the volunteer t-shirts for last week’s summer camp at our local assembly were purple. It hasn’t always been that way. For millennia, it was the color worn only by the ultra-rich and powerful. The cost of producing purple dye made it prohibitive for the ordinary person to wear it.
The Bible warns us against being fooled by the trappings of power and status.
My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? James 2:1-4
Every person is created in the image of God and is entitled to dignity. God judges us by our hearts, not the external trappings. We’re called to do the same.
Don’t be fooled by outward appearances. Rich and poor, enabled and disabled, color of skin or cultural background, we’re called to love all people.
As a famous preacher once said, “The ground is level at the foot of the cross.”
Let’s set aside our prejudices and pre-judgements and live as Jesus called us to.
Hallelu Yah
Be blessed,
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word – Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
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All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2025 K.F. “Kevin” Corbin, Gleanings From The Word.
Unless otherwise noted, “Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”