神不偏袒待人，但玛拉基时代的祭司却这样做。那时，宗教律例是政府法制的一部份，祭司的意见能够左右民众对某人的看法。
有三种人是偏袒的受害者：（1）不受宠的人——他们往往受到不公的对待，成为社会上的次等人。（2）受宠的人——他们逐渐灵命衰退，变得更高傲和自私。这些人离世后，没有人会想念他们。（3）行偏袒的人——他们得不到别人的信任，他们被藐视和羞辱，正如今天经文所说的。过了一段时间，这三种人开始感到被现状所困，不受宠的人发觉自己没有前景；受宠的人被困于自己的私欲，又时常感到自己欠了那偏袒他们的人的债；而那些偏袒待人的，开始以自己能为有权势的人提供什么来衡量自己的价值。
幸而，神的恩典奇妙地否定了世人的偏袒。神不偏袒待人，藉着耶稣，每一个希望得蒙神的恩惠的人，都可以得到。神赐的恩惠就是永生和平安，相比之下，世人提供的好处显得愚拙和没有价值。
你若愿意接受神的恩惠，请你现在就作以下的祷告。
亲爱的耶稣，我决心摒弃这个世界提供的一切好处。求祢赦免我和拯救我脱离罪，从今天起，我要单单为祢而活。奉祢的名祈求，阿们。
玛拉基书 2:7-9
7祭司的嘴里当存知识，人也当由他口中寻求律法，因为他是万军之耶和华的使者。"I have caused you to be despised and humiliated before all the people, because you have not followed my ways but have shown partiality in matters of the law." — Malachi 2:9
God does not play favorites. The priests in Malachi's time did. Back then, religious laws had a role in governing people, and a priest's viewpoint could influence public opinion about someone.
Favoritism has three victims: (1) People who are not favored are given a lower place in society than they deserve. (2) People who are favored shrink spiritually, becoming proud and selfish. They aren't missed when they're gone. (3) People who play favorites begin to be viewed with suspicion. They become despised and humiliated, as our verse states. After a time all three types begin to feel stuck where they are. The un-favored just can't get ahead. The favored become enslaved to their own desires, and sometimes burdened with a sense of owing those who favored them. And those showing favoritism begin to see their self-worth in terms of what they can provide to other influential people.
Thankfully God's grace puts a surprising end to the notion of playing favorites. God does not play favorites; yet, through Jesus, God's favor is available to anyone who wants it. The favor of God is eternal life and peace. It shows up the favors of this world as silly and worthless.
If you want to receive God's favor in your life, please pray this prayer:
Dear Jesus, I renounce all the favors of this world. Please forgive me and save me from my sins. I want to live for you alone from now on. In your name I pray. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
