Faith that Works Day 4
James 2:1-13
No Favorites Allowed
2 My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. 2 For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, 3 and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” 4 have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?
8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. 9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. 11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
What did you think, feel, or see as you read?
If you show partiality, you are committing sin. While we are many years removed from the Jim Crow laws that infected our country, partiality still plays a major role in our world today. We judge people by their sexual orientation, color of skin, religion of choice, and even country of origin. While stereotypes are hard to combat, that does not excuse believers from mistreating or failing to love all those around them. Jesus, alongside James, urges us to show mercy, choose meekness, forgive—and forgive again. Love for neighbor does not run dry when our feelings get hurt or our patience wears thin.
Furthermore, picking favorites is not allowed in the church of Jesus Christ, as God has no favorites. As the song “Jesus Loves Me” taught us many years ago: “Red, brown, yellow, black, and white—they are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world!”
Who do you struggle to love? What is one way that you can combat your human nature and live out the nature of God today toward that person?
