"Though the Lord be high, yet has he respect unto the lowly."

The verse was especially impressive to me because of a book I had been reading which documented the personal lives of the presidents and first families.

In it, the author described how one newly elected president turned aside a trooper's request for an autographed photo of himself.

"I don't have time for that . . . (expletive)," the trooper quoted the president as saying. The author of the book went on to describe this response as a "stunning commentary" on the president's character.

This incident came to mind as I thought about the scripture from Psalms, and along with it, the memory of a quote which says, "A snob is an inferior person, with a superiority complex." **********

Personalize the incident above by putting yourself in the place of the trooper. Imagine the pleasure of serving the highest ranking official in the United States and seeing what you regard as a wonderful opportunity to obtain a signed photograph to cherish and pass on to your children and grandchildren.

Instead of realizing this hope, you are subjected to not only a refusal of your request, but a demeaning rebuff. You will have no picture to present to your children, but you will have a story to tell. However, not one likely to endear any of them to the nation's leader. From a strictly political perspective, was this not a poor move on the part of the president? By indulging the trooper in a momentary courtesy, the president may have won a supporter for life, or at least created a warm memory.

As it stands now, the only "warmth" of that encounter is probably the hot flush reddening the trooper's face whenever he recalls the treatment he received. ********** Compare the action of the president to the courteous conduct of the following: For instance, Diana, the late Princess of Wales.

From the multitude of coverage recounting her life, I recall a particular incident one photographer captured on film, as Diana scurried through an airport, attempting to avoid the cameramen pursuing her. The princess held a tennis racket in front of her face as a shield against the constant flash of cameras, but this did not prevent her from catching glimpse of a little girl, quietly clutching a bouquet of flowers, and waiting hopefully for the opportunity to hand them to the princess.

Diana stopped, smiled graciously, and bent to speak a few words as she accepted and acknowledged the token of the child's admiration.

It is almost certain the little girl will remember and treasure that moment forever, for she, a commoner, was treated royally by royalty.

And this is the kind of treatment our Lord offers to each of us, no matter our station in life.

Christ's regard for the lowly is illustrated in Mark 10:13-16, where a group of mothers attempted to bring their small children to Him for a blessing. The disciples around Jesus rebuked the mothers and tried to send them away.

What did Christ do? The scripture says, "When Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said, "Allow the little children to come to me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God." The text goes on to say, "He took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them."

I love that story, for it reveals the tenderness of Almighty God, and offers assurance that no one is too small to be significant in His eyes. Compare how the Creator of the universe regards the lowly, as opposed to how men sometimes treat their subordinates.

A stanza from a poem entitled, Nobility, by Alice Cary, expresses the truth of this matter well.