“My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.” James 2:1
Now James tells all the believers of something they must not do–show favoritism. Everywhere you look in the world you see a lot of favoritism happening. In politics, the politician receive money from big companies when he votes in their favor, regardless of his personal convictions. In media, actors are given the red carpet treatment everywhere they go. In the church, the big money givers are allowed to make decisions on what to do with the money. Some of these cases are very blatant favoritism. Other times it is very subtle.
A very common favoritism shown is between a rich and a poor man. Most people will give extra favor to the one who is dressed sharp and looks like he has money over the person who is sloppy looking and has no money. They are hoping to get some of that money. We are told this should not be happening at all. You need to look at every person as God does–an individual who either knows and follows God or does not know or follow God, and all are created by God equal. Money or possessions do not make a person more or less in God’s eyes. In fact, in the next few verses James points out that it is the rich people who make life miserable for the rest.
You are no better or worse than any other person. Every person who has sinned even one time is no better or worse than a person who as sinned a million sins. Each and every sin separates you from God. With this in mind do not allow yourself to be taken up with showing favoritism to someone. Look at the motives behind everything that you say and do. Do these motives reveal favoritism? Make a change. Every thing that you do should be done to lift up Jesus and to build up other people. Doing this will keep you from showing any favoritism.
I pray that today God will help keep you from showing favoritism; that God will reveal areas in your life that must change; that God will help you to see every person as He does; and that God will give you His favor as you lift up God and build other people up regardless of their walk in life.
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