God's Favorites?

James 2:1-17 NIV

My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. ² Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. ³ If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” ⁴ have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

⁵ Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? ⁶ But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? ⁷ Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?

⁸ If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,”you are doing right. ⁹ But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. ¹⁰ For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. ¹¹ For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,”also said, “You shall not murder.”If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

¹² Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, ¹³ because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? ¹⁵ Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. ¹⁶ If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? ¹⁷ In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

     Farmer Joe decided his injuries from the accident were serious enough to take the trucking company (responsible for the accident) to court. In court, the trucking company's fancy lawyer was questioning farmer Joe. 

    "Didn't you say, at the scene of the accident, 'I'm fine?," questioned the lawyer.
     
      Farmer Joe responded, "Well I'll tell you what happened. I had just loaded my favorite mule Bessie into the......."
     
      "I didn't ask for any details," the lawyer interrupted, "just answer the question. Did you not say, at the scene of the accident, 'I'm fine!'"
     
      Farmer Joe said, "Well I had just got Bessie into the trailer and I was driving down the road..."
     
      The lawyer interrupted again and said, "Judge, I am trying to establish the fact that, at the scene of the accident, this man told the Highway Patrolman on the scene that he was just fine. Now several weeks after the accident he is trying to sue my client. I believe he is a fraud. Please tell him to simply answer the question."
     
      By this time the Judge was fairly interested in Farmer Joe's answer and said to the lawyer, "I'd like to hear what he has to say about his favorite mule Bessie."
     
      Joe thanked the Judge and proceeded, "Well as I was saying, I had just loaded Bessie, my favorite mule, into the trailer and was driving her down the highway when this huge semi-truck and trailer ran the stop sign and smacked my truck right in the side. I was thrown into one ditch and Bessie was thrown into the other. I was hurting real bad and didn't want to move. However, I could hear ole Bessie moaning and groaning. I knew she was in terrible shape just by her groans.
     
      Shortly after the accident a Highway Patrolman came on the scene. He could hear Bessie moaning and groaning so he went over to her. After he looked at her he took out his gun and shot her between the eyes. Then the Patrolman came across the road with his gun in his hand and looked at me. He said, "Your mule was in such bad shape I had to shoot her. How are you feeling?"

Well Farmer Joe’s favorite Mule didn’t fare so good.

 It’s funny, we all tend to play favorites at times don’t we?

Although some would deny it, most parents with multiple children always have a favorite. It may be the first, or the baby of the family, or one of your children with special talents. And while the parents deny it, boy the siblings know what is going on. It is like Tommy Smothers of the Smothers brother’s old standard line, “Mom always liked you best”.

And sometimes we as humans play favorites when it comes to other people. Studies have shown that people react differently to people depending upon how they look. Whether they are beautiful or handsome; have nice teeth or hair, dressed well or not. Recently a television show even did a man on the street test about the color of a girls dress. The same girl would wear a multicolored dress or a red dress and ask for help. When she wore the red dress, most men were more friendly and forthcoming with help.  People play favorites when it comes to appearances. And not only that, people with power or fame often get favoritism too, don’t they. Sometimes they get chances at the best seats in restraints without reservations, or free stuff. All because of power, money or fame.

Today’s New Testament Scripture talks about this type of preferential treatment and God’s view on favoritism. James 2:1-10 says in the New International Version,

“My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,”  have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?  But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?

If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.”

You see in many churches during the time of James writing of this letter gave preference to the rich over the poor. And James writes the churches to correct this mistake. James tells us that playing favorites with the rich over the poor is a sin.

It is human nature to show preferential treatment. But it is not God’s nature.  When you meet someone who is obviously poor, do you treat them any differently? Or do you feel uncomfortable?

What would you do if this morning as you came to church you saw Johnny Depp sitting on the steps waiting for the church doors to open? Or your other favorite movie star. Stop a moment and think. What would you say? How would you act? How would you treat him? Would you be careful to welcome him and show him to a seat?

Now What would you do if this morning as you came to church you saw a disheveled homeless person who hasn’t changed his clothes in days sitting on the steps waiting for the church doors to open? Stop a moment and think. What would you say? How would you act? How would you treat this person?

It is human nature to judge people by their looks, or fame or power.

And to be honest, we all do it one time or another.

It is human nature to judge people by their looks, or fame or power.

But it isn’t God’s nature

God doesn’t show favoritism.

God impartially loves everyone the same. No matter who or what they are.

Today and throughout this week, let’s try to do the same.

Because God loves you, no matter who you are, what you have done in the past, or what you are going through now.

We who have received such great love, should we not likewise share it without partiality?