The Associated Press (“AP News”) reports that the Trump administration moved yesterday (1/21/2025) to end affirmative action in federal contracting and directed that all federal diversity, equity and inclusion (“DEI”) staff be placed on paid leave, as President Trump considers DEI programs to be discriminatory and is moving to restore ‘merit-based’ hiring in the federal government.
The Office of Personnel Management (“OPM”) issued a memorandum yesterday directing federal agencies to place DEI office staffers on paid leave by 5:00 PM today and to take down all public DEI-focused webpages. Agencies were also directed to cancel any DEI-related training and to end any related contracts – with a request for federal workers to report any suspected attempts to rename programs to avoid cessation of DEI operations to the OPM.
The AP News article may be read in full HERE.
My brothers and sisters, it is hard, at least to this writer, who has hired (and even fired) state workers in prior employment, to argue with merit-based hiring (and promotion). A person’s skin color or ethnicity is part of God’s beautiful tapestry of His children and is to be embraced; however, wisdom tells us that the best person for the job is the best person for the job.
The Bible tells us that we are to do all things, including our work and ministry, as unto Christ! We should seek to work with a spirit of excellence, setting an example to the world. There should be nothing mediocre about the Christian in the workforce. Just because we want something doesn’t necessarily mean we are mentally or physically qualified, or sufficiently trained, skilled or tempered for every position or task in life.
Philippians 2:14-16 (NKJV)
Paul Tells Disciples To Shine As Lights In The World
“Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.”
Colossians 3:17 (NKJV)
“And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus [emphasis mine], giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
Colossians 3:23 (NKJV)
“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord [emphasis mine] and not to men…”.
The Annenberg Classroom presents an article discussing ‘equality’ HERE, in which it states, in part, that:
“The founders of the United States were not claiming that all individuals are equal in their personal attributes, such as physical strength, intelligence, or artistic talent. They were not saying that a government is established to enforce equality or uniformity in the way people think, act, or live. Rather, the founders were committed to establishing a government that would guarantee equally, to all individuals under its authority, security for liberty based on the rule of law. The idea of natural equality in rights, that every person inherently possesses fundamental rights stemming from his or her equal membership in the human species, has been expressed in the constitutions of democracies throughout the world.”
At issue is the difference between ‘equality’ and ‘equity.’ Many liberal-minded persons, including politicians, consider equal outcome and benefits or level of lifestyle to be the same thing as equality. This is absolutely NOT THE CASE. The American Dream – which enfolds within it ‘manifest destiny’ and ‘rugged individualism’ and the concept that hard work is its own reward – assures that all persons are to be equally given the potential to excel in life, but does not attempt to assure or mandate equity of outcome.
The Bible reminds us that as Christians, we are to love without hypocrisy and to give preference to one another!
Romans 12:9-11 (NKJV)
Behave Like a Christian
“Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord…”.