FAVORITISM FORBIDDEN

James 2:1 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?

Do you think you're better than others? Jesus didn't.  Do you treat your friends with material things better than those that do not have as much?  Jesus didn't.  Do you pick people with a connection as friends? Jesus didn't.  We should be grateful Jesus didn't, because He might not have picked us.  As Christians, we are supposed to be imitators of Christ who shows no favoritism, so neither should we.  In life, we show favoritism by favoring the rich over the poor, treating others differently because of misjudging them, one race over another race, one gender over another gender, a person’s status at work or church over someone else’s, when we pick sides that's favoritism and it is also a sin


Father, let us be respectable and kind to all people and let us not judge off of appearance and we repent of all partiality.  Lord, let us not think too highly of ourselves so we will be like Christ who made Himself lowly to walk among us.  Lord, we pray for Your strength to be renewed in us, and let a boost of faith overcome our fears and a splurge of Your power in our state of powerlessness.  Father, help us to our feet so we can once again run the race set before us. Lord, forgive us for favoritism and our failure to realize that the whole world is one family, all those who are in Christ.   Lord, forgive us for our prejudice and self-consciousness of race, color, or indifference, and our lack of concern for our people living in poverty and for the children who are undernourished. Lord, let us see all people the same, no matter their status, finances, or career, in Jesus name, Amen