EP. 146 How to Understand & Leverage Your Privilege

To View the Video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/JKJWnfUn59c

SHOW NOTES

Welcome to a new week of the Hope Rescue Podcast. Last week we discussed what privilege is and what the bible has to say about it. This week we are discussing how we can each understand our personal privilege and leverage it for good. Keep reading for more!

Last week we went over 6 different kinds of privilege which were:

1. Socioeconomic privilege

2. Racial privilege

3. Gender privilege

4. Sexual identity privilege

5. Physical privilege (beauty, age, height)

6. Religious privilege

This week Tim and Kimberly briefly cover a few more:

1. Political Privilege

2. Technological Privilege

3. Ability Privilege

Tim explains that privilege is not simply an issue of race, and to put such an emphasis on racial privilege minimizes the other types of privilege that also need to be acknowledged.

To navigate any type of privilege we may have, Tim and Kimberly bring up Micah 6:8 which says, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” We all have privilege in our lives whether we realize it or not, and we are all called to be just, kind, and humble with our privileges.

Tim explains that privilege should not be handled on a political basis but on a personal basis. He lays out four recommendations for dealing with privilege:

1. Acknowledge your privilege

2. Understand that all people have different privileges

3. Know that God is sovereign and he places people in and removes people from authority

4. Understand God expects you to be kind and giving to those in need

Tim and Kimberly go on to tell some stories of people from scripture who had privilege and how they used or abused their privilege.

The first is the story of Joseph. As a young man, Joseph had favor and privilege with his father and his siblings were jealous. He had his privilege stripped from him when his brothers sold him into slavery and he became a servant, but God raised him up into extreme power and privilege, and he was able to reach his family during a time of famine and provide for his family's needs. He was able to bring life, healing, and wholeness to his biological family and used his privilege in a just, kind, and humble manner.

The second story is that of the apostle Peter. In Matthew 16:19 Jesus says, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Jesus says these words directly to Peter, and Peter knew this gave him privilege. Peter was reluctant to bring the Gospel to the gentiles because it’s not what he had imagined the kingdom looking like, but that was God’s plan all along. Tim explains we all have metaphorical “keys” in our lives, and we can grant access to people who possibly didn’t feel welcome before. Are you using your keys to let people in? Ask yourself, what keys do I have access to and how am I using my keys? Revelation 7:9 says, "After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands.” We are all one in Christ.

The last bible story is of the laborers in the vineyard from Matthew 20. Tim gives the background of the story and explains that while God is always just, He is not always fair. In the story of the laborers in the vineyard, many workers agreed to work for a set price, but at the end of the day those who worked the longest were shocked to discover that those who had worked for only an hour were paid the same wages as them. This was not unjust, because they agreed to their wages before they even started working. It was unfair, but not unjust.

We all have privilege in our lives. How are you using yours for good? Always remember to be just, kind, and humble with your privileges.