REAL FAITH LOVES WITHOUT FAVORITISM
Real faith resists the value system of the world. This applies to how we treat other people from all walks of life. Probably all of us would say that we are not racist, and most of us will claim that we don’t do favoritism. But what do our instinctive reactions when relating to others, reveal about how we assign value to different kinds of people? Through Scripture, we’ll see the reality of what we struggle with, how God sees people, and how we can have victory in this area.
Stop Showing Favoritism (v. 1-4)
James was speaking to believers who already had faith in Jesus Christ. Although they were already Christians, they had an attitude of personal favoritism (Gk: prosopolempsia = “to receive the face” – to judge or value someone based on outward appearance). James was saying to stop showing favoritism, and he gives a specific example of what he was talking about (v. 1-3). It’s not just the obvious discrimination (i.e., treating a poor man differently than you would a rich person who come in for worship services) that we need to watch out for in our church today, but how we view people in our minds.
After describing what was going on in the church in his time that showed obvious discrimination favoring the rich over the poor, James moves on to the heart. When you show favoritism, you are revealing something about your heart (v.4). When we make distinctions between the value of one person over another, we are acting according to the world system. Jesus values all people the same way because we are all one in Christ (Galatians 3:28). God did not make the distinctions; people did. When we practice favoritism, we make ourselves “judges” based on our perceptions, yet only God can be the Judge, only He really knows people. Our favoritism shows that we have corrupt reasoning, shaped by the values of this world (e.g., “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know”), and so we give special attention to affluent people, those who can “make things happen”. We are selfishly motivated and that’s how the world operates. Stop showing favoritism! Favoritism is unjustified partiality treating some people better than others based on appearance, status, wealth, influence, education, gender, religion, ethnicity, or position, often for personal gain at the expense of others. Are we motivated by the desire to be associated with power or the embarrassment to be associated with someone who the world thinks is not powerful or popular? Real faith loves without favoritism — stop showing favoritism!
See People God’s Way (v. 5-11)
James shifts his tone in this section (“my beloved brethren) and he gives a very important truth. He gives the contrast: the poor of this world have been chosen by God to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom. But James is not saying that poverty earns salvation, nor is he saying that wealth disqualifies you for the kingdom. He’s pointing out a pattern: when you’re poor in this world, lacking resources, there is a natural reliance on, and more tenderness towards God. Many times, when you have all that you need, you don’t think about God (Mark 10:24-25)! God doesn’t love poor people more, or the rich more and He does not have favorites because He loves us all. But the reality is, when you don’t have enough in this world, it’s easier to set your minds on things above. But when you have a lot in this life, we often forget the greatest blessing — an intimate relationship with Christ. God has given us blessings to enjoy, but don’t put your hope in those blessings but on God (1 Timothy 6:17-19). If you have extra, be rich in good works and be generous and ready to share. Your heart follows where you put your treasure in. If God has blessed you, be rich in heaven by using wealth to bless others.
It’s good to honor people, including the rich, but if you dishonor the poor man who is made in the image of God, you’re not seeing them the way God sees them. Ironically, it was often the rich at that time who oppressed the believers and who blasphemed God (v.6-7). When you look closely at some of the celebrities we look up to, they blaspheme Jesus — so why do we show favoritism towards them? We should fulfill the “royal law”, from Jesus, the King — to love our neighbors as ourselves (v.8). In the story of the Good Samaritan that Jesus taught (Luke’s gospel), we find the contrast between showing favoritism and what the Good Samaritan did to his “neighbor” in need:
Jesus is the Good Samaritan to all of us! Any person who is in need — the poor, the rich, the awkward, the socially invisible our neighbor. God wants us to see people the way He sees them. Showing partiality is a sin (v.9). When we sin by our favoritism, we’ve sinned in a way that James lumps together with “murder” and “adultery” and we’re still sinners who need a Savior.
Show Christlike Mercy (v. 12-13)
We are to speak and act according to the law of liberty (God’s Word). God’s Law shows us the path to true freedom; because we are children of God, we want to live out what God wants us to do. We are to speak (how we talk to and how we talk about people) and act (relate, do, engage) towards others according to God’s law of liberty. Let’s be like Jesus, show Christlike mercy, to step out of our comfort zone to be His hands and feet in this broken world. You have received mercy if you have a relationship with Jesus, so you ought to be merciful like our Savior (2 Corinthians 8:9).
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
What does ‘Favoritism’ look like in your life even in the most subtle way?
Why is favoritism so contrary to being a follower of Jesus?
What will you do – or stop doing – to love without favoritism?
PRAY CARE SHARE IN ACTION
Pray for those who experience discrimination because of favoritism from family, co-workers or society. Be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading, seek out those who are marginalized and share God’s love to them in tangible ways.
Share the gospel of Jesus and live out Christlikeness as you relate to them.