Text: “But if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors” (James 2:9).
There is a wonderful old story by John Denver about a man invited to a fancy banquet. He arrived wearing simple clothing and was told to get out and go in the kitchen door for a handout. He left, went home, got dressed up, and went back to the banquet.
This time he was admitted and seated in a special place. The guests were rather startled when the food came. The man began to pour the food and drink on his coat, saying eat coat, drink coat.
When he was asked what he was doing, he said, “It was my suit that was invited to the banquet and not me. When I came earlier wearing simple homespun clothing, I was kicked out. When I returned in my suit, I was invited in. So I can only conclude that it was my suit and not me who was invited to the banquet.”
I believe Mr. Denver made the point quite clear. Have you and I ever made a judgment call due to some factor other than the real person? Have we committed the sin of showing partiality or favoritism?
I am guilty of this sin. I have done this in the past and did not realize I was committing a sinful act. I have to be truthful with you because God already knows. I cannot hide anything from Him and neither can you.
I propose several questions that we all need to contemplate or consider. Maybe you have thought about these and maybe not. Maybe these apply to you or perhaps they don’t. I believe we need to think about the following:
1. What are we looking at when we look at people?
2. What do we look for in people we want as friends?
3. How did Jesus look at people?
4. Are we lawbreakers?
Let’s see what kind of answers we can come up with concerning each of these questions.
1. What are we looking at when we look at people?
When we look at people, are we looking at their physical appearance? We should not be looking at a person’s ethnic or racial appearance. It should not make any difference to us if the person is Caucasian, Afro-American, Indian, Oriental, Spanish, or of any other ethnic background.
In addition, we should not be affected by the way they wear their hair, how many earrings they have in their ears, the number and kinds of tattoos displayed, the way they walk or move, whether they are underweight or overweight, or any physical disability they may have.
There is a tendency for us to evaluate people by the clothing they are wearing. People who are wearing old or well-worn clothing are often compared to those who are wearing nice new clothing. When it comes to talking to or helping people, the less fortunate are overlooked.
I was attending an evening service at a certain church one day when the pastor gave the altar call at the end of the service a strange event took place. As I watched the pastor I noticed that he stopped after the call, his mouth dropped open and he became very pale.
As I looked toward the back of the church, my eyes fell upon an individual making his way down the isle. His clothes were dirty, His face and hands were unclean and he walk was unsteady. He had answered the call, but it appeared that he was unwelcome. The ushers quickly escorted him out of the church. I thought to myself, is this what Jesus would do?
At times people are accepted by the fancy jewelry they are wearing. Should this be a means for us to judge the worth of this person? There is nothing wrong with these things as long as they are not between that person and God. I don’t believe this has anything to do with what is in a person’s heart. IT does not mean this person is better in any way than the person who has none.
There are numerous ways we look at people. We tend to look at the neighborhood in which a person lives. Someone living in a so-called upscale gated neighborhood is often rated higher on a scale of 1-10 compared to the person living in the average neighborhood. Many times, less fortunate people are looked down on because they are considered living on the wrong side of the tracks.
People who have other worldly possessions such as expensive automobiles, big boats, recreational toys, or other things are looked up to and even praised while the person who has the very basic items necessary for survival is rarely considered important. Perhaps this lowly person is never invited to functions or community events.
At times, people in professions think more highly of themselves than they should while people in vocations aren’t given credit for knowing anything. People in vocations like plumbing, carpentry, bricklaying, septic service, electricity, and so on deserve just as much respect as people in professions. When your septic system backs up, the physician, lawyer, accountant or dentist is not the one to call upon for help.
Sometimes we look at and admire people because they belong to a host of organization like lodges, clubs, civic organizations and we place them on a level of superiority. These people seem like they have a better life than we have. We become envious of them because they seem to have so much more than we do. In reality, they may be living behind a false front.
2. What do we look for in people we want as friends?
Do we look at their financial status? Do we want friends who are well-to-do financially as opposed to those who are average or poor?
Do we look for success? Do we want friends who are famous or who have been successful worldly or are we satisfied with those who have had failures or who are considered failures?
Do we look at education? Do we want friends who are overly impressed with themselves because of education or do we want friends who humble themselves and take life one day at a time?
Do we look at people who are like us? Do we want friends who are like us and who go the extra mile to serve wherever they are needed?
3. How did Jesus look at people?
Jesus looked at all people the same and showed no partiality. He was God incarnate or God in the flesh. It did not make any difference to Him about how the individual looked, how he dressed, where he lived, what type work he did or what worldly possessions he had. Jesus showed no favoritism in that He did not treat one person better than another.
He was concerned about people and their issues. He was willing to help the two demon-possessed people as well as forgiving and healing the paralytic. He picked a tax collector to become part of His team. He had time to go and heal the daughter of a ruler who had died. He was never too busy to reach out and touch someone in need.
Although Jesus was rejected by His own people, He loved them. He was always ready to teach all those who were willing to listen. He fed those who were hungry without any strings attached. He blessed the children and counseled the rich young ruler.
Even though Peter denied knowing Jesus, Jesus still loved him. He forgave those who beat Him, mocked Him, struck Him, and nailed Him to the Cross. He said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34).
Jesus wants everyone to hear the Gospel and come to God the Father regardless of their ethnic background or nationality. He wants all people to believe the Gospel, accept His message and trust Him.
God’s love is so strong for people that He wants to redeem all who will come to Him. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
When God gave His Son, He sacrificed His very best. God’s love is so strong for mankind that He wants all to be redeemed and spend eternity in His kingdom.
4. Are we lawbreakers?
If we treat people any way other than the way Jesus treated people, I believe we are lawbreakers. To treat one person different than another, we are showing favoritism or we are showing partiality.
Pastor John Denver wrote the following story which illustrates partiality in some of our churches this very day. Listen to what he has to say.
The evil of partiality is still quite prevalent in the Church of the twenty-first century. I remember a deacon’s meeting where one of the more prominent deacons stated, “Did you notice that Mr. Smith was a visitor Sunday? We need to recruit him as a member; he’s good pay.”
And we show partiality by not being receptive to those who visit who are not “our people.” We are not unkind to them, but our actions, body language, and very demeanor make them feel unwelcome. So they never return.
We show partiality in yet another way. When people of the upper social class join our church, we give them places of responsibility immediately, while others are continually ignored by the nominating committee. Showing partiality is not limited to a racial dimension. ---John Denver
If we show favoritism, we are not identifying with Jesus. If we identify with only certain people caring more for one than the other, we are breaking the royal law which says, “Love each other as I have loved you” (John 15:12).
As Christians, we are saved by grace through faith, but we are also required to obey Christ.
Jesus died for all mankind not just a certain group of people. At the foot of the Cross, all mankind is equal.
I want to close with these words:
If I can do some good today,
If I can serve along life’s way,
If I can something helpful say,
Lord, show me how.
If I can right a human wrong,
If I can help to make one strong,
If I can cheer with smile or song,
Lord, show me how.
If I can aid one in distress,
If I can make a burden less,
If I can spread more happiness,
Lord, show me how.
If I can do a kindly deed,
If I can help someone in need,
If I can sow a fruitful seed,
Lord, show me how.
If I can feed a hungry heart,
If I can give a better start,
If I can fill a nobler part,
Lord, show me how.
-----------------Greenville Kleiser
Amen.
