QT 5/16/2023 James 1:2-10, Treating people equally

James 2:1–10 (ESV) —

1 My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. 2 For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, 3 and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” 4 have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?

8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. 9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.

 

NOTE: The point of the passage is twofold: one, don't show partiality, and two, if you show partiality, you are guilty of breaking the whole law (murder, adultery, etc.), not just one part of the law. Partiality is pride. And pride was the enemy's first sin. When we treat people different, it is because we think we are different, or we want to be different. When we "look down" on another, it is because we think we are above them or more important than them. When we "look up" to another, we are trying to curry their favor because we want to use them to gain their status. Both characteristics are wrong. We are treat everyone exactly the same--the same attention; the same care; the same concern; the same respect.

 

The second part of the passage concerns the serious of this sin. Breaking the law at any point is the same as breaking the "worst" sin in the law. That would be true of any sin, so the real concern is to never get comfortable with any sin, even something that seems innocuous like partiality. It is wrong and it breaks God's heart that we would not treat all equally -- saved by the grace of God.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I show partiality based on position or wealth? I'm sure I do. The problem is easily rectified by showing the same positive affirmation and attention to the persons of no position and no wealth (the poor).

 

PRAYER: Father, help me to see all people equally and to give attention to each and every person equally.