My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,” have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives? Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? (James 2:1-5)
Very Important People
Are you an important person? …a big wig? …a mover and a shaker? …a real somebody? I guess it depends on who you ask. During a five hour layover at the airport, earlier this year, I walked through the terminal looking for some place to rest. There were a couple of VIP lounges where guests enjoyed a savory buffet of food, drinks, comfortable chairs, and all the royal treatment. At least, that’s what I heard. I have no idea. I couldn’t even get close enough to peek inside the door, because I didn’t have a first class ticket.
Favoritism Stinks
This is the way of the world, whether you’re in the airport or at high school or in the office. There is always the “in crowd,” and there are the “nobody’s.” Everyone tries to impress their peers so they can be included with “those who are,” rather than being cast aside with “those who are not.” This is called favoritism, and it stinks (at least for those who are stuck on the outside looking in).
Have you ever had a friend ditch you so they could hang out with someone else, more important? Have you seen a group of kids choose teams at the basketball court, both captains selecting their buddies while pretending not to see the little boy jumping up and down? Has everyone in your circle of acquaintances, except you, received an invitation to a party? I’m sure most of us have been excluded in some way, and sadly, we have probably treated others this same way without even realizing it.
Jesus Befriended the Lowly
James tell us favoritism is a sin. It has no place within the church. We are reminded of how Jesus treated everyone with the same dignity and worth regardless of who they were: palace dwellers and peasants, nobles and nobodies, Jews and Samaritans, young and old, lepers and those with a perfect complexion… He invited any and all to come to him and enter a relationship with God.
This was remarkable when you consider who Jesus is. He is the creator of the universe, everything belong to him, yet he rubbed shoulders with his creatures. He is the king of kings, of greater rank and authority than any other, but he never shied away from sitting at the table with outcasts. There is no partiality with God (Acts 10:34; Rom. 2:11). We all enter the world the same way. We all breathe the same air. All are sinners who have fallen short of God’s glory, and all can find forgiveness by his grace.
When Partiality Comes to Church
This is why James rebukes those who showed favoritism within the church. Everyone is getting along okay until a V.I.P. walks through the doors. All of the sudden the ushers pay special attention to him, offering him the front row seat, making sure he is comfortable. They don’t even notice the shabbily dressed man who walks through the doors behind him, dirty and poor. No one greets him. No one asks how he is doing. No one invites him to sit next to them. It is as if he isn’t even there. Doesn’t this betray the sinfulness of our hearts?
We know the saying, “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover,” but so often we are way too quick to judge based on appearance. There are many sins tangled up with favoritism: pride, envy, a lack of love for our neighbor, forgetfulness of God’s compassion. If the Lord doesn’t show partiality neither should we.
God’s Grace Humbles Us
James reminds of us of God’s gracious choice in calling us into his family. He did not choose the wise and noble and famous. He chooses the poor and despised of this world to become heirs of his kingdom. This should humble us. It should also make us eager to reach the outcast, the forgotten, and the lowly. They are not forgotten or despised by God. May we be eager to show his love to all.
So are you an important person? …a somebody? …a VIP? You are to God. That’s why he sent his Son to save you. And so is the person sitting next to you, whether he’s wearing fancy sunglasses or not.