The Kingdom's First Citizens

James 2 from the Message, "Listen, dear friends. Isn't it clear by now that God operates quite differently? He chose the world's down-and-out as the kingdom's first citizens, with full rights and privileges. This kingdom is promised to anyone who loves God. And here you are abusing these same citizens!"

I was reading The Message last week and that verse really struck me. Who does the world see as low on the totem pole? The world sees people with disabilities as unworthy, as less than themselves. People with disabilities are the ones who may be last on earth, but they will be the first in Heaven. Their weakness allows them to receive this divine anointing. They are far ahead of us spiritually. Their prayers are more powerful. The Spirit rests on them. Many of them are in a very special place in their walk with Christ. I long to be in that same place.

I long for, I pray for the day when people with disabilities will be seen the same as everyone else. I long for the day when there won't be a difference, especially in the body of Christ. I long for people to see them the way God sees them. I see them as my teachers, my friends, my brothers, my sisters. Most people don't realize this, but we need them, we desperately need them in our lives. Once you start hanging around people with disabilities, that mindset begins to change. God brings about this heart change and you realize that you are the same. God begins to show you the gifts that they bring to the body of Christ, the potential that they have, and the love of Christ that you experience through them changes your life forever.