Acts 10:21-29: a reflection

21Peter went down to the men, and said, “Behold, I am he whom you seek. Why have you come?” 22They said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous man and one who fears God, and well spoken of by all the nation of the Jews, was directed by a holy angel to invite you to his house, and to listen to what you say.” 23So he called them in and provided a place to stay. On the next day Peter arose and went out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. 24On the next day they entered into Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his relatives and his near friends. 25When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell down at his feet, and worshiped him. 26But Peter raised him up, saying, “Stand up! I myself am also a man.” 27As he talked with him, he went in and found many gathered together. 28He said to them, “You yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man who is a Jew to join himself or come to one of another nation, but God has shown me that I shouldn’t call any man unholy or unclean. 29Therefore I also came without complaint when I was sent for. I ask therefore, why did you send for me?”

Peter, a devout Jew who had always kept himself separate from Gentiles, goes to the house of Cornelius, a Roman centurion. This was, by the customs Peter had always kept, an unlawful thing, for Jews did not associate with those of other nations. But God had shown Peter a vision, and Peter now understands its meaning: God has shown me, he says, that I should not call any person unholy or unclean. So he comes without objection, laying aside a lifetime of barriers, to bring the gospel to those he once would have avoided.

Notice the barrier God broke down in Peter, and the lesson Peter learned: not to call any person unclean. Peter had grown up regarding Gentiles as outside, unclean, not to be associated with; but God taught him that no person is beyond his welcome, that the gospel is for all, that he should not treat anyone as unholy or beneath him. And notice, too, Peter's humility: when Cornelius falls at his feet, Peter lifts him up, saying, Stand up; I too am a man. There is no room here for looking down on anyone.

That is a lesson we still need. We all carry, often without noticing, our own sense of who is acceptable and who is not, our own barriers of nation, class, background, or reputation that mark some people as beneath us or beyond God's welcome. But God shows no partiality, and calls us to call no person unclean. Examine the barriers in your own heart, the people you regard as outside, beneath you, or beyond reach. God welcomes people of every kind; do not call unclean what God has cleansed. Lay aside your prejudices, cross the barriers, and carry God's welcome to all, for the gospel is for every person, and God plays no favorites.

Lord, you taught Peter, a devout man who had always kept separate from Gentiles, not to call any person unholy or unclean, and he laid aside a lifetime of barriers to bring the gospel to those he once would have avoided. Teach me the same. I carry, often without noticing, my own sense of who is acceptable and who is not, my own barriers of nation, class, background, or reputation that mark some people as beneath me or beyond your welcome. But you show no partiality, and call me to call no person unclean. Examine the barriers in my heart, the people I regard as outside, beneath me, or beyond reach. Help me lay aside my prejudices, cross the barriers, and carry your welcome to all, for the gospel is for every person, and you play no favorites. Give me your heart, which welcomes people of every kind, and keep me from looking down on anyone.