James 2
My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,” have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called? If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. James 2:1-9 NKJV
God does not show favoritism, and neither should we. Discriminating against another person, for whatever reason, is unloving and unbiblical. Peter said “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism” (Acts 10:34). God loves everyone equally, although He does have a special place in His heart for the poor and needy. “If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. Rather, be open handed and freely lend them whatever they need” (Deuteronomy 15:7-8). Some people believe that God shows His favor on people by blessing them financially. The truth is, that God’s blessings can be physical or financial, but His greatest blessings are actually spiritual. Here are a few examples:
- Peace that is beyond comprehension.
- Joy that cannot be put into words.
- Unconditional love from a Father who created you and knows all about you.
- The ability to have patience in every circumstance and with everyone.
- The capability to live above our circumstances and not be controlled by them.
Everyone is able to enjoy the same intimate relationship with God, and therefore receive His blessings, regardless of socioeconomic status, background, or past sins. If the Lord is accepting of absolutely everyone, then we should be too. “Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are His dear children” (Ephesians 5:1, NLT). We need to make sure that we are not like others in the world, and that we look beyond the mere physical, to see what God sees in others. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” (Romans 12:2). “For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes” (Deuteronomy 10:17). Patrick Mabilog writes: “Social scientists today want to claim that the concept of social responsibility is something that man independently crafted on his own. But truth be told, just as God is the author of everything in this world, He is also the author of social responsibility. God’s heart for social justice shows us His true character as being loving and gracious to everyone regardless of background, race or economic standing.” If there is anything we can learn from Jesus and His sacrifice for all mankind, it’s that God has compassion for those who are unable to save themselves. We have all been lavished with unconditional grace, love, mercy, forgiveness, and salvation. In addition, we are all abundantly provided for by our Heavenly Father. It is precisely because of how much we have been freely given, that we can make it a point to accept instead of reject, love instead of judge, and be compassionate instead of indifferent. It won’t always be easy, which is why we were given the Holy Spirit, to remind us, guide us, and keep us on the right track.
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John 14:26, NKJV).