Favoritism
James 2:1-13
This morning we are still looking at topics related to a “faith that works” from the book of James. As I was looking at the scripture I thought about teachers pets in elementary school.
Were any of you considered a teachers pet???
One of those favorite students that got to take notes to the office, lead the lunch line, do special little things for the teacher while the rest of the class slaved away on the class work. Perhaps you are suspecting that I had a problem with teachers’ pets.
I can’t say I had a direct problem with the students….perhaps some hard feelings, perhaps envy, perhaps a little attack of the “that’s unfairs!”
Now that I am older, I realize a little better that as an average and even struggling student, I did not meet the criteria that most teachers have when choosing a student for special jobs….
I rarely finished with my work early.
I had a tendency to talk too much.
I was not the neatest worker in the class. I am easily distracted……
Unfortunately; all those same things seem to be character flaws I struggle with today.
So far, James is talking to Jewish believers that live in exile talked about how faith works and how it can help them to get through the persecution that they are facing in their time. James is not a prosperity Gospel teacher like we find on TV today. He flat out tells us that bad times will come…So while his message is direct and lacks empty encouragement the information is also proven to be real truth in the facts.
He started with a hard idea, that believers should be joyful in all their trials, not because of or for the trials but because in those dark and hard times we will realize that no matter how it feels, we don face them alone and when they pass our faith will be stronger and grow because of the knowledge that God will provide. Not a concept that makes us excited about our faith but, knowledge that is proven to be truth with time.
Last week we heard him be the first person on record to quote the Nike add and say “Just do it!” As he encouraged Quick to listen, Slow to speak and Slow to anger and visible signs of faith….If we follow that simple concept we will demonstrate a special wisdom. Wisdom helps us keep our relationships with family, friends and community on an even keel. We won’t be known as hotheads or uncaring oafs because we won’t just blurt out what ever comes to the top of our minds.
It seems that James saw the tendency to put our feet in our mouths and spout anger was some how a common thing even way back then. But the most important part of last week’s reading was that James said that we are to hear the word and respond. Let the word of God in scripture, conversation and prayer be a mirror that shows you who and whose you are and to live with and improve the image that God has placed in you at creation.
This mornings scripture opens with:
“My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism.”
The word translated “favoritism” comes from two words—”to receive” and “face.” “To receive by face” is to evaluate a person on the basis of surface characteristics. James warns, “Don’t just look at a person’s face, or outward appearance. Don’t be biased in your judgment by clothing, wealth, or position!”
Today James points out a problem of how people back then showed favoritism.
He gives an example. Two guests come to church on the Sabbath. One drives up in a new Mercedes and is wearing a Rolex, has a super bowl ring on his finger and a suit that is obviously tailored just for him. Right behind him is a guy that pulls up in a beat up KIA, and he is wearing something that was once a part of the Kmart collection now stained with a hole in the knee.
In James’ day they would have offered a seat near the front near the box that held copies of scripture. In the synagogue, they often invited a guest to read and expound on scripture.
Today if we offer a better seat, it would probably be one of those choice back row places. If any of us speaks to the man at all we might make a special effort to introduce just one or the other of the two guests to the pastor. We may invite one of the men to sit with us and allow the other to figure out where to sit on their own.
But, if we treat the two men differently in any way….we are showing favoritism.
Favoritism - Aren’t you glad that we don’t have that problem in churches today?
We all know that judging people is bad. Our culture legislates hate crimes and equality so; favoritism is definitely not a problem….right?
In James’ example, the mythical usher, without expressing it verbal makes a judgment between the two men. He treats each of them as the culture outside the church would treat them.
I don’t know about you but I look at people and make judgments all the time. I can’t seem to help it. I have been known to see certain characters on the side of the road and check to see if the doors on my car are locked. I have turned my eyes away from people that looked like they might ask me for money on the street.
The opposite has been true when I had an opportunity to spend time with people that were successful and wealthy …I would associate with the well to do groups at the chamber. When I was in my own business I did my best to get to know successful business people.
-- Now without reaching for a false pride, or arrogance or any kind of a thought related to our superiority, I want to say as a church. I don’t think we are too guilty of outwardly showing this kind of favoritism.
As far as I know we would not ask anyone that came into this church for honest worship to leave or change seats. I hope that what ever we might really be thinking is able to be controlled and we do our best to welcome all our guest equally.
So far it seems that we are relatively successful but, Unfortunately, I believe that we all very far from being as welcoming and fair and open as James is suggesting and as God is.
I believe that we have fooled ourselves into thinking that we are better than we are because we don’t actually have a lot of Guest. It is easy to think we don’t show favoritism or prejudice when only people like us show up.
James is saying that people of faith won’t be guilty of showing favoritism and I believe even reverse- favoritism. He is not indicating that the less successful man be treated any better than the other. He is saying that they should be treated the same.
Folks that is hard to do. If we had two guests like James describes it would be really hard to meet them at the door with an equal hope that both would be back next week.
But James is saying that even if we just make subconscious choices and discriminate between people we are judging with evil thoughts.
Wow that is hard!
There’s a story about a Chicago bank that once asked for a letter of recommendation on a young Bostonian being considered for employment.
The Boston investment house could not say enough about the young man. His father, they wrote, was a Cabot; his mother was a Lowell. Further back was a happy blend of Saltonstall’s, Peabody’s, and other of Boston’s first families. His recommendation was given without hesitation.
Several days later, the Chicago bank sent a note saying the information supplied was altogether inadequate. It read: "We are not contemplating using the young man for breeding purposes. Just for work."
Why do we develop favorable attitudes any way?
Are we nicer to the people that have the ability to help us and our church?
I wonder how we would act if the county manager or a well known doctor or attorney came to church one Sunday.
Would we give them special attention in hopes that they would want to join this church….if so would it be because we are excited that they found God in this place or because of who they are or because of what they might bring or do.
What if we have a guest that looks like they had a nail gun accident and body art? What if they look more desperate for a meal than worship?
What if they smell funny?
What if we already know their history, their reputation or they obviously just want something?
James reminds us that “God has chosen the poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith,”
God has not settled for the poor he has chosen the poor.
Why, perhaps because the rich and powerful rarely believe that they have a need for God. Comfort and success mask the dependence that man has on God.
In reality all of creation has the same need for a genuine relationship and dependence on the creator.
We don’t know if James is responding to some event that he has been told about or if he is just speaking to human nature and worldly culture. But he explains that they have insulted the poor and ignored the problems caused by the rich and powerful.
If you have not figured it out, James is a black and white kind of guy.
He points out the black that we all live in and encourages us to move toward the more perfect white.
He puts the trials and struggles and issues that we deal with every day in our face and encourages us to do better.
He encourages us to allow our faith and the example of God and Jesus Christ and even our personal experience with trials and problems be our guide in our journey.
James adds, “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.”
The phrase royal law refers to Leviticus which in 19:18 includes the statement, “love your neighbor as yourself.” Which Jesus identifies as the second commandment and in keeping it a follower keeps the whole law.
He identifies that Favoritism is a sin. Now on our earthly scale likening or favoring one person over another seems like a choice and not a sin even if we do it for personal gain. After all who are we hurting?
We are commanded to treat every person, every neighbor as we want to be treated otherwise we are breaking the law.
A law breaker is a lawbreaker and our opinion of the magnitude of our offence does not matter in God’s eyes.
Folks, James is just a realist. He understands what people are like.
When you remember that most scholars believe that James is the Half brother of Jesus. Do you think he felt the burden of trying to be like Jesus?
Do you think that some of the apostles said and thought, James is a pretty good guy but he isn’t really perfect like Jesus?
Or perhaps it was the opposite he witnessed a special status because of his mother and his brother who had people treating him special?
He wants his readers to understand that they are no different than the people of the day, the culture. They have to work at living differently, think differently, and treating outsiders the same.
James is calling for a new way of thinking. He insists that we live, speak and act according to the royal law because we will be judged by it. According to him the reality of our faith means that we understand our struggles and we are open to outsiders because of our unique understanding.
We have received mercy and acceptance by God without regard to our problems or success. We personally know what we have been forgiven and as a response we should be merciful and not judgmental of those that God sends into our lives, and into our church.
Folks, Many of you have felt that God had something just over the next hill for this church. We have been actively aware and watchful to look for the signs of God moving so that we can respond. We have made efforts to be good stewards of the Gifts that God has given, the revival the work on the park were small steps testing the road ahead of us.
But, we have one mystery that I wonder about…..Why have we not been receiving guest?
I could suggest that few if any of you invite people to attend. And while that is probably true I will tell you that I believe that there is another reason.
I have a feeling, that we as a church are not really ready for God to send guest…..
I believe that we have a touch of the problem identified in our scripture this morning.
We have limits on who we will receive and who we will ignore.
We as a church are not ready for the people that God may choose to send because we will sit in judgment and perhaps even whisper our disapproval privately.
-- The biggest problem is that as Christians we are not alone.
There are churches all around us that are exactly the same way. Christians all over the country are failing at the work of the church because we have the same flaws as the majority of our culture. We say one thing on the outside and think and decide something else on the inside. We actually need the Laws which legislate hate crimes and discrimination to keep our favoritism within limits.
It seems that we are open and welcoming to people like us, and people that are better that us socially and financially.
But what about the other people that God may choose to send.
Will we sin by showing favoritism?
Back at Bula Elementary school in Douglasville, I had teachers that really did try to be fair. I can specifically remember an event where I was one of the students chosen to go outside and beat the chalk board erasers clean on the side of the building.
It is a silly event to remember. It was a menial task and limited trust and effort. But foe some reason it was a special moment in my childhood. A moment where I felt accepted and chosen probably not because of my special effort or good behavior. Grace and mercy from my teacher that sparked a deep memory for me.
Folks, I agree that God has something just over the hill or around the next bend. There are signs which indicate that we are allowing God to prepare us for something new. There are even bigger signs that what ever it is it will happen soon. Next Sunday folks form our church will sing for the Glory of God and the benefit of some of his most precious children.
I have been writhing articles in the religion section for several weeks in Rome news Wire with our church name listed.
God is providing us with a unique ability to make this little church’s name known in our community. It is time for us to be ready for what God will send in the way of guesat and opportunities…not for our benefit. Not for our improvement or Glory but for the blessing of others.
The only way we will be ready by faith we become aware of our nature and sins and depend on God to help us know our purpose.
All Glory be to God!
