James, the brother of Jesus, comes right out of the gate in chapter 2 with a directive and clear descriptor of those who claim to follow Jesus. He says in verse 1, “My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.”

So, let’s jump right into it. Are we easily impressed by status, wealth, or fame? Are we partial to the “haves” while ignoring the “have nots”? These are difficult questions that take some time for us to reflect on. They are difficult because they reveal heart conditions.

In verse 8, James points us to how we follow this directive. He says to “keep the royal law found in scripture, “Love Your Neighbor as Yourself.” Side Note: One of the most helpful things to impact my time in scripture was getting a study Bible. Personally, I have an NIV, Life Application Study Bible. It includes clarifications that help me understand the language, advice on how to apply the teaching to everyday life, descriptions of context, and settings as well as profiles of key people in the scriptures. It has been so helpful to me on my journey of reading and studying God's Word.

I turned to the commentary in my Bible for verses 8-9 and here is what it said. “We must treat all people as we want to be treated. We must not ignore the rich, because then we would be withholding our love. But we must not favor them for what they can do for us while ignoring the poor who can offer us seemingly so little in return.”

Jesus commands us to love everyone. He also knows our hearts and our tendencies. We are fallen and sinful and are naturally going to lean toward those who have something to offer us.

Fight against this pull. How do we do this? Begin to pray and ask God to help you see with His eyes. To see others the way He sees them. As we spend time in scripture and if we are growing in our walk with Jesus, the things that matter to Him will begin to matter to us. Paul tells us not to conform to the patterns of this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

Reflection:

• To whom do you tend to show favoritism?
• What is that favoritism rooted in? Are they the things that the world says are important?

Family Application: James 2:1-13

• Read James 2:1-13 aloud as a family.
• James tells us that we should not treat others differently because of the clothes that they wear or the shoes that they have on their feet. We must treat all people as we would want to be treated. Have you ever seen anyone treated differently because of how they were dressed?
• James says that if we love our neighbor as ourselves, we are doing right, but if we show favoritism, we sin.
• Pray Together as a Family: Dear Lord, help us as a family to treat everyone how we would want to be treated. Thank You that You sent Your Son Jesus to save not just me, but everyone. Lord, because You have loved us, help us to love others. Amen.