Mean Girls and Bullies
Are a common theme in the movies and entertainment in part because…
It is a part of human nature - to be accepted and to be close to people who can help us get ahead.
In school that might look like working your way into the crowd of cool kids - even if that means compromising values.
In the workplace - that might look like playing political games in order to work your self into favorable positions or assignments.
Numerous movies and TV shows have discussed that topic - from the musical Grease to Mean Girls 1 & 2, to Inside out 2. It’s a repeated refrain in entertainment because it’s so easy for us to have a selfish outlook when we interact with other people.
And yet, that’s not the way it’s supposed to be with the people of God.
If you have your bibles, go ahead and open them to the book of James. We’re taking several weeks to walk through this very practical and pointed book. James originally wrote to Jewish background believers who were dispersed because of persecution in order to provide them some wisdom for living in a hostile land. In our conversations on chapter 1, we’ve discussed topics such as trials, perseverance, wisdom, contentment, and how we should interact with others. Today, we’re going to turn the page into chapter 2 as James dives a bit deeper in our interactions.
I think I’ve mentioned before that James seems to hop around a lot. He moves quickly from one subject to the next and then even back to revisit a previous subject. If you were to draw lines across the book or take string to connect certain topics, you would have a web of connections - backward, forward, up, down.
This is part of the reason why we’re starting in verse 27 of chapter 1 today. In verses 26 and 27, James seems to have a two-verse transition. The first of those connects well with last week (which is why we stopped there), the second, introduces and even almost outlines this week’s topic.
James’ underlying challenge is that the life God calls us to live is marked by an unbiased love toward others and not stained with the selfish sin of favoritism.
James 1:27 ESV
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
In the previous verse, James urged us to think about how our speech represents our relationship with God - in other words - our religion. Here he takes it to a next step and helps us see how that religion or relationship with God is manifested in other interactions.
Beginning there, James seems to communicate that…
Favoritism tarnishes the glory of Jesus (1:27-2:7)
James 2:1 ESV
My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.
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James uses interesting language, again, in this section - he essentially equates Jesus with the shekinah glory of God. David Nystrom notes that the shekinah is “the visible manifestation of the divine.” He goes on to say that James, the half-brother of Jesus, “believes that in Jesus God is revealed.”
So, the weight of James’ argument is really in a profound place. The very object of our faith, Jesus Christ, is the glory of God. His overall argument in the verses that we are considering today is that favoritism has no place in Jesus’ people because favoritism has no place in Jesus. In other words, favoritism is unbecoming of Jesus’ people.
But that forces us to ask the question...
What is favoritism?
Or as some translations say - partiality.
Favoritism is essentially “the practice of giving unfair preferential treatment to one person or group at the expense of another.” (Apple dictionary)
The Greek word that is translated partiality or favoritism literally reads “to accept a face” meaning more fully - “to make unjust distinctions between people by treating one person better than another.” (Louw Nida)
It’s as though when we are playing favorites or acting with partiality, we are looking at face value and making a judgment based on style rather than substance.
Years ago, Martin Luther King Jr. seemed to hint at this when he looked forward to the day when his children would be judged based on the content of their character and not the color of their skin.
Now, it doesn’t seem like James has race or even gender in mind, but rather wealth, social station, and even power, though I do think a racial and gender application may fit as well. But, remember in the last verse of chapter 1 James noted that “pure and undefiled” religion is to “visit orphans and widows in their time of need….” Let’s keep that in the back of our minds as we think through a few of what J.A. Moyter referred to as “experiences” that James uses as illustrations.
Experiences
James argues his case in a rather practical way. So practical that we might even experience a very similar situation.
situational experience (1-4)
James 2:2–4 ESV
For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
In our day, clothing has become much more casual. In fact, we might pay a pretty penny for jeans that are ripped up or torn in a variety of places. In the first century, clothing would have differentiated people greatly. People with means would likely have handmade, custom clothing. Poorer people would not. The quality and appearance would have set people apart immediately.
So, you can almost imagine the scene where two people come in to church. Are we inclined to talk to one and not the other? Are we inclined to invite one over for a meal and not the other? Why? It may not be a matter of clothing or wealth, but what does tempt us to treat one person favorably over another.
It seems like it gets back to advantage - which relationship will reflect better on me? Which relationship will get me ahead? Which relationship will I enjoy more?
However, which person in this situational experience more closely represents the kind of person that James called “orphans and widows”?
James goes so far as to call us out for our judgments and evil thoughts (vs. 4)
The church gathering is just one situation - but where are we tempted to make snap judgements elsewhere? Where are we inclined to engage one person in a conversation and not another - all because of how they look?
And yet - if we had lived in the first century - would we have given Jesus a second chance? Isaiah described him as:
Isaiah 53:2–3 NLT
My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot,
like a root in dry ground.
There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance,
nothing to attract us to him.
He was despised and rejected—
a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.
He was despised, and we did not care.
James uses this situational experience where we may be tempted to show favoritism as a means of putting the issue front and center. In many ways, this brings us to the next experience that James introduces:
spiritual experience (5-6a)
James takes the situation that seems so real and probable to us and then shakes us so that we remember what the Kingdom of God, the glory of God is all about!
James 2:5–6 (ESV)
Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor man.
In order for any of us to come to salvation, we have to come to the place where we acknowledge our utter spiritual poverty. It is God’s way to redeem those who are weak, impoverished, and in need.
He did that for the people of Israel when they were enslaved in Egypt. No rights or dignity, no honor, no wealth or strength - he called them out and saved them.
The apostle Paul noted this very point when it comes to all who are called to be His people:
1 Corinthians 1:27–29 ESV
But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.
Beloved - I think part of what James is getting at here is that when we show favoritism or partiality we are dishonoring the very people that God is seeking to honor or redeem. How often does our bigotry or political identity or social station prevent us from engaging with the very people that Jesus wants to engage through us? Beloved, we need to repent. Even some of the Pharisees who were so against the movement that Jesus started were concerned that they were working against God.
Acts 5:38-39 “…but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!…”
May we heed that same advice and not let our personal ambitions or comfort get in the way of Jesus’ work in and around us.
It’s when we recognize our utter spiritual poverty that we truly experience a rich and vibrant faith. We need to see people the way that Jesus sees them.
Friend - if you’re just checking out all of this church stuff and trying to understand how this works together - I hope you can see the brilliance, the wisdom, and the love of God. You may have great talents, skills, or wealth - but none of that will earn you a place in the kingdom of God - ultimately because it’s all stained by your sin. When you repent of your sin, you essentially allow Jesus to address your core need. You express your spiritual poverty and receive in return a life that is redeemed by the blood of Jesus. Now - your talents, skills, and wealth get to be instruments for God’s glory.
Will you turn from your sin and self reliance?
Will you trust in Jesus Christ as your savior?
Will you go public with your faith in baptism and covenanting with a group of people who can walk alongside you and encourage you in your new walk?
If you’ve not yet trusted Christ or pursued baptism or become a member - let me encourage you to mark that on your bulletin (with your name) and drop it in the offering box at the back. We would love to take the next steps of faith with you.
James concludes this section with one more experience - something that we might call a...
secular experience (6b-7)
James lets a bit of reality set in as he reminds of how some people who put too much trust in wealth or power treat others in the world.
James 2:6–7 (ESV)
Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?
Now this is not to say that all wealthy people are this way, but it is the wealthy who have the resources to use the legal system in their favor. For these first century, exiled believers, many of them may have been poor, agricultural workers. It was the wealthy who owned the land and the jobs. It was the wealthy who held all of the cards in the struggle between thriving and surviving. Mean girls and bullies have a way of winning you to their side until it’s inconvenient for them.
But, in the final question that James asks here, he even discusses the fact that it’s these people who are blaspheming or dishonoring the name of Jesus.
(consider teasing this out more)
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So James lays out this foundational argument calling us to avoid the sin of favoritism. In the final verses he gives us a helpful solution by essentially telling us that…
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Love conquers favoritism and fulfills the law (8-13)
He essentially turns the entire argument back on ourselves and sort of challenges us to ask the question, “how would I want to be treated?”
James 2:8 ESV
If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.
In chapter 1, James transitioned from the word (hearing and doing it) to the perfect law. Here he seems to revisit the law by referencing the “royal law” - Love your neighbor as yourself.
When Jesus was confronted by his accusers on the way to the cross, they asked him, “what is the greatest commandment?”
Matthew 22:37–40 ESV
And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
Jesus’ basic argument is that we can fulfill all of the commandments if we simply follow these two commands - love God, love others. And yet how difficult is it for us to do those perfectly. Our love for God is distracted by love for things, power, our own authority. Our love for others is tainted by our selfish ambition.
And yet, love, true agape, unconditional, sacrificial love is the very thing that will conquer favoritism.
James then takes the next couple of verses (9-11) to illustrate how breaking the law in one area makes us guilty of breaking the whole law. His point is that showing favoritism, or not loving others as we love ourselves, is breaking the law. That dishonors God and as we said before, tarnishes the glory of Jesus.
But thanks be to God,
Romans 5:8 ESV
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
God is the one who is showing by example how we should live. He calls us to do the same for others:
1 Peter 4:8 ESV
Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.
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James concludes this section with a couple of verses that are again both challenging and convicting. Challenging in that some of the specific words are difficult to understand, but the overall point is very plain.
James 2:12–13 ESV
So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Our speech and our actions are not simply one-and-done - but ongoing acts of love. James urges us to keep on speaking and keep on acting as people who will be judged under the law of liberty or as some translations say - the “law that gives freedom.” We can’t just speak one way to one group of people and another way to others.
act and speak one way around certain classmates or teammates and then a completely different way at home or at church
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James referenced the “law of liberty” in the passage we considered last week - and yet part of the challenge is that he doesn’t define it and we don’t see it referenced anywhere else in Scripture outside of the book of James. But think about the call to love that James makes, the fulfillment of the law that Jesus taught - loving God and loving others brings freedom to us and to them. There is no shadow of retribution or payback. There is no taint of selfish ambition. We don’t have to remember how we’re supposed to act around this group of people, we get to be consistent. Sure, it is difficult, even impossible to do, but thanks be to God, we don’t live under a performance-based system - God showed us mercy and calls us to do the same.
Mercy - not getting the bad that we do deserve - triumphs over judgment.
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Conclusion
So why is favoritism so bad?
it dishonors Jesus - tarnishing the glory of God
it dishonors the very people Jesus is working to redeem - causing us to work against God
it enslaves us to a system of performance and conditional acceptance rather than Gods system marked by mercy and unconditional love.
James transitioned to this whole section by calling us to “visit orphans and widows in their time of need and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” Showing mercy and love to those who have no means of repayment is what God is calling us to - and thankfully - the very mercy and love that God showed to us.
Who are we avoiding because we don’t want to get hurt? or
Who do we avoid because don’t want to go to the effort to invest in them?
Who is God calling us to engage with that we may be avoiding?
Who needs the the same mercy that God showed to us through Jesus Christ?
Students, as you head back to school in a couple of weeks, who is it that needs a friend? You have so much to offer through Jesus Christ, you have no need to be ashamed.
For all of us, where do we need to repent because we are playing favorites with those who are easy to be with, beneficial to us, or able to help us get ahead?
Where do we need to repent because we are judging others based on appearances?
Let’s pray.
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Benediction
1 Corinthians 15:58 ESV
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
(remind about cleaning up because of the other church)
Questions for discussion and reflection
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Sources:
Louw, Johannes P., and Eugene Albert Nida. Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains 1996: 767. Print.
Moo, Douglas J. The Letter of James. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: Eerdmans; Apollos, 2000.
Moyter, J.A. The Message of James. The Bible Speaks Today. Downers Grover, IL; Leicester, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 1985.
Nystrom, David P. The NIV Application Commentary: James. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1997.
