Prejudice and Favoritism

My brethren, pay no regard to people, show no prejudice or partiality. Do not attempt to hold and practice the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ together with snobbery!

For if a person comes into your congregation whose hands are adorned with gold rings and who is wearing splendid apparel, and say to him, sit here in this preferable seat! While you tell the poor man. stand there! Or, sit there on the floor at my feet!

Are you not discriminating among your own and becoming critics and judges with wrong motives?

Listen, my beloved brethren: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in the faith and in their position as believers and to inherit the kingdom which he has promised to those who love Him?

But you have insulted, dishonored, and shown contempt for the poor. Is it not the rich who domineer over you? Is it not they who drag you into the law courts?

Is it not they who slander and blaspheme that precious Name by which you are distinguished and called?

If indeed you really fulfill the royal Law in accordance with the Scripture, You shall love your neighbor as you love yourself, you do well.

But if you show prejudice and and favoritism for people, you commit sin and are rebuked and convicted by the Law as violators and offenders. ~ James 2:1-9

We all have preconceived ideas about people. We stereotype, and yes, we have all been guilty of showing favoritism. James is pretty clear in these Scriptures that prejudice and favoritism are sins.

It does not matter if a person is of a different class, race, or education. We are all equal in the eyes of God, and as soon as we step out and become judgemental and stereotype we are stepping into some serious sin.

Think about it this way:

God's chosen people were the Jews. When many of them rejected Him, He decided to allow us, the "Gentiles" to be grafted into the family of God. Christians are all adopted children. God looks past our faults, race, class, education, and sex. He looks into our hearts and loves us from the inside out for who we are and who we will become though Him.

We are all sisters and brothers. We are all children of the same Almighty God. We are all heirs to the same Kingdom. We should act like it. We should all be doing what Jesus said to do and Love our neighbor as we love ourselves.

If the Body of Christ will obey the Word of God, and begin to show love for one another, we will surely get the attention of this dark and lost world. Unfortunately, if we continue to back bite, gossip, judge, take offense, and allow favoritism and prejudice to rule us, we will remain ineffective for Christ and a joke to the world.

Love...Love...LOVE!

Let's pray,

Daddy God, thank you for grafting me in to your plan of Salvation. Thank you for choosing me to be Your very Own. Help me to look at others with Your eyes. Help me to look past worldly stereotypes. Help me to show love to my brothers and sisters. Help me to forgive and let go of offenses. Help me to not gossip and judge others. Help me to represent You in my walk. I love You, Lord! Thank You, for loving me! In Jesus Mighty Name, Amen.

In His Love and Service,
Lara ;)

Copyright © Lara Velez