Monday October 18, 2010

"Journey Through James - Part 3"

Favoritism Forbidden

 ¹My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. ²Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. ³If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet," ⁴have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
 ⁵Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? ⁶But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? ⁷Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?
 ⁸If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right. ⁹But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. ¹⁰For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. ¹¹For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
 ¹²Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, ¹³because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!

So, the title of this section is "Favoritism Forbidden." Not just frowned upon, forbidden. Here, James (and God) is saying that we should treat all people alike, no matter how they look or who they are. I know I have been guilty of showing favoritism lots of times. And it's not just, "I like that person better than this person," it goes beyond that. It can be the fact that I treat some people differently than other people. God treats all of us the same because he loves all of us equally. There is a saying that I love: "There is nothing you can do to make God love you more, and there is nothing you can do to make him love you less." God loves you the perfect amount because he created you! So since God treats everyone equally, so should we. If we put someone down, or treat some people differently than others, we are insulting God's very creation.
This is a hard thing to follow! But if we love God with all our heart, soul and mind, we can do it.

Dear God, thank you that you love every one of us equally. Thank you that you do not show favoritism from one person to the next. Your creation is perfect, and so is your word. Help us not to show favoritism among ourselves. Help us to remember that you are the Creator of all things, and that if we insult someone, we are insulting you. We are sorry for the times we do this, please forgive us. Help us to stay close to you through prayer and through your word. In Jesus' name, amen.

Lots of love,
Aubrey <><