Issue 707 – A Goose of a Different Colour – April 7, 2022

Yesterday morning, I took a stroll around Fish Trap Creek Park. I stopped at one point overlooking the lake, and this goose decided to visit with me. It was pretty calm about my presence, and it continued to walk up cautiously, feeding all the way. 

Finally, it stopped about two feet away, as calm as could be and looked up at me. I talked with it a while, then continued my walk. I presume it is used to being fed by park visitors.

I realized something was different about this goose apart from its friendliness as it came closer. It suffers from leucism. Leucism is a pigmentation disorder that results in white or gray patches of skin or feathers but does not impact the eyes like albinism. It doesn’t harm the animal but can affect its appearance quite significantly.

If you examine the photo closely, you can see the extra white on the face and around the eyes. The top of the breast and one foot all have modestly different pigments as well.

My new feathered friend is a Canada goose in every way, even though it looks slightly different.

In our fallen state, people often treat others who don’t look quite the same with suspicion. It might be in the skin colour, or perhaps even in the way we dress.

The Bible cautions us against being discriminatory based on appearance or other factors.

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? Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonoured the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honourable name by which you were called?

If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 

James 2:1-10

Perhaps you can honestly say that skin colour makes no difference to you, and I applaud that. Yet, what about subtler things? When someone shows up on a Sunday morning, dressed arguably inappropriately for your congregational culture, how do you react? 

How would you respond if a young person wore a cap during the service? What if you have a friendly, well-groomed congregation, and someone scruffy arrives? Or perhaps you are very casual, and someone in a suit and tie shows up on Sunday; what then?

Let me give a real-life example. A pastor I know had a visitor show up in a Playboy t-shirt, which caused quite a stir. The pastor prevented several congregation members from confronting the visitor on the spot. After all, “How dare he wear something like that to church?”

How would you have reacted?

The visitor was not a Christian; it was the first time they had ever been in a Christian church. The person who invited the guest had told them that casual dress was inappropriate, and they dressed casually. How would they have felt if someone had jumped all over them for a fashion faux pas?

There is a time and place to address such issues, but this was not the time.

I used the Sunday gathering as an example, but the concept is much larger and broader. It impacts how we respond to others in all circumstances.

How is your heart? Are you quick to judge based on appearance, or are you willing to extend grace?

Hallelu Yah (Praise God)

Be blessed. 

Kevin.

Gleanings From The Word.

Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

Soli Deo Gloria (for the glory of God alone.)

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the English Standard Version (ESV). Spelling modified to Canadian English as required. 

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