January 30, 2013 at 5:54 p.m.
Time to grow up series / Part 1 of 4
Why you shouldn't have favourites
Let's look at this week's passage, James 2:1-4:
"My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If 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," have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?"
This is a warning given to Christians. We are told not to show favoritism.
To really drive home this passage, James gives a clear example of what was probably happening in some of the churches of his time. He says suppose two men come into the service. One is obviously rich, because in James time, if someone had a gold ring and fine clothes, they did not fit the average person in the village. The other person is poor who walks in dressed in shabby clothes. How you treat these strangers? Your actions determine if you are showing favouritism.
If you give a special seat to one and, in this case, the floor to the other, it shows that you are discriminating within the church because of wrong - "evil" - thoughts.
Trying to impress
We live in a day and age similar to that of the early church. There is a great temptation to try to impress people of great reputation or wealth. God, however, does not look at people in this light. He sees only souls that have been saved by grace and others who need Him.
James then puts things in a very practical perspective in the next few verses...
"Listen, 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? But 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? Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?" James 2:5 - 7
The pious people that come in with a careless attitude are not the ones on which to focus your attention. James says that God has chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith. If God has chosen those poor believers, it makes no sense for the people to show favoritism to others who exploit them.
Corrupt world
We are aware that there is much corruption in the world; in fact, one of the reasons the world economy is in such a mess is because of greed and exploitation. Of the many countries I have visited, I estimate that more than fifty per cent of them are led by a government that exploits their own people resulting in such dire poverty.
It is a fact that eighty per cent of the world's population does not have clear drinking water! Keep in mind most of these countries are blessed with incredible natural resources, but the average people of the country hardly benefit from them.
It is a very sad thing to see, and James is saying that we ought to take care of the people of God rather than show favouritism to those that only want to exploit and slander the Lord.
As you serve God, ask Him to make your heart more sensitive to those around you and not to show any form of favouritism in your church, at work, or even your own family. Make it a priority to be aware of when and how you may show favouritism. You only need to look to the Bible to find examples where this has not only ruined churches, but families as well.
Paul, too, gave a similar caution to the young pastor, Timothy. Let's remember this advice as we seek to live a life pleasing to God...
"I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favouritism." 1Timothy 5:21.
Pastor Gary C. Simons serves as the Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Bible Fellowship, 82 Church Street, Hamilton, Bermuda, HM12.[[In-content Ad]]
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