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In Christ, Mark
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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
“My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.”
“Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old 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?”
"But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers."
James 2:1-4, 9
This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Did you grow up with siblings?
I did. A lot of them.
I came first, followed by three sisters, and then a brother. Yes, my parents got a workout through their time of raising us all up.
Now something that inevitably happens when you have a lot of kids like that is that everyone wants to be the favorite of their father and/or mother, a desire that can breed intense internal competitiveness within any one family. We even came up with a phrase for this, “sibling rivalry”, as brother would go against brother, sister against sister, or brother and sister would vie for the feeling that they were rated higher than the other or others.
As we grow up in our youth, we find this matter of favoritism spill over into other arenas. Within a school classroom, students all strive to outdo each other to be the “teacher’s pet”. When sides were chosen for sports or any other game, there was always pressure on the team captains to pick favorites, whether it was the most talented kid or just a good friend who was expected to be selected.
After we leave school, we move onto jobs and what’s one of the first things we see happen in the workplace? It’s someone trying to intentionally get the special favor of their boss so they might get the promotions or the best assignments.
Over and over again as we live this thing called life, we find ourselves facing the matter of favoritism and so it should be of little surprise that God’s word addresses this matter. We find this in the opening four verses of James, chapter 2. Look again at these words here:
“My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.”
“Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old 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?” James 2:1-4
It doesn’t take long here to find out what the Lord expects Christians to do, right?
Believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. Period.
Note there is no exception clause included here nor is the expectation of the Lord optional.
Christians are not to discriminate and see any one person or people more favored than another. They have no place employing judgment on others.
Why?
Because the Lord doesn’t play favorites, that’s why. He loves every single person equally and doesn’t hold any person in higher regard than another. That’s why He is the perfect Parent, the perfect Teacher, and the perfect Employer.
Friends, if the Lord doesn’t discriminate and show favoritism, than neither should any Christian. If you’re doing it check yourself, repent, and then get back to being obedient to what God commanded, to what God expects. Your actions will be pleasing in His sight.
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
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