We might think that facial recognition software is a rather new invention. And, in some respects, it might be, for purposes like police departments identifying suspects or for you to unlock your new phone. But, it’s actually been around for a really, really, really long time.
3,500 years ago, God commanded the Israelites not to use their facial recognition software—that is, the software that was installed in some human minds at that time. Moses, in particular, was told, “You shall not show partiality in judgment” (Deut. 1:17; cf. Ex. 23:3; Deut. 16:19; Prov. 24:23). Literally, the command was, “You shall not recognize faces.” In other words, justice was to be blind. It did not matter what “faces” stood before a judge, each one was to be received equally and fairly and without any kind of partiality of one over another.
How often today do we “recognize faces” and show partiality? How often today do we determine how we will treat someone based upon “facial recognition software” that we have installed in our brains? Disable your facial recognition software today (Jas. 2:1, 9; 3:17)!