How many of you, if a homeless man walked into church on Sunday, would go and say 'hi' and invite him to sit next to you? Why/not? Would you be scared, or think that someone else would do it, or would it be because you couldn't be bothered? Now would that change if someone who clearly had money to burn walked in looking lost, Alan Shearer maybe, or someone not so famous, but obviously wealthy? It makes you think, doesn't it? I'm ashamed to say that I would be much more likely to be welcoming to someone who seemed more like me, and dare I say it, a bit more respectable and socially aware. But that is all it is, perception.
James tells his readers in no uncertain terms that it is wrong to show favouritism because, quite simply, we are equal as far as God is concerned. The church is a place where sinners saved by grace can get together to build one another up and worship our amazing God. In the kingdom it is not money that matters; James reminds his readers that poor people have amazingly big faith in God and that they too have as much of a share in the kingdom as millionaires. If you want a good rule of thumb, James' advice is to remember the greatest commandment and love our neighbours as ourselves (verse 8). In fact to ignore this and continue to show favouritism is to sin (verse 9). James doesn't mince his words and we need to seriously consider what God is saying to us.
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