My hunch is that if I were to ask 10 people to list actions and behaviors that God does not like, favoritism would not make the list. It wouldn’t have been on mine. But, yet, in today’s reading, James spends a good chunk of time explaining how God abhors favoritism. God’s church must strive to not show favoritism, particularly favoritism based on economic status.
The poor, Jesus says, we will always have, but in the church favoritism, based on economic status, is not to exist.
As I think about this, God is saying that we are to treat each person based on their innate dignity as a human being not their worldly status.
Status based on wealth has been around a long time. The style of toga one wore in ancient
Within the church, favoritism is not to exist. James says it forcefully; My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism (1).
This passage requires me to examine how I treat people in my fellowship. Do I consciously or unconsciously favor people like me… educated, white, affluent and married? Do I?
You might ask yourself a similar question, being honest with your preferences…
O, God, for the sake of Jesus, my Savior, who showed no favoritism but offered his love to all, I begin by asking for forgiveness for all the times and ways I do show favoritism. I also pray for grace to change and grow to be more like Jesus and to bear the Father’s heart to all I meet.
I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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