James: Wisdom for Practical LifeSýnishorn

Warning Against Favoritism 

Showing favoritism was as much a problem back then as it is today, even in the church. We constantly judge people based on external appearances. Our culture celebrates those who are rich and famous, it reveres those with power, worships those with success and listens to educated elites. We see this even in the church. Authority and recognition are given to people with money, status, education or even holding key positions in the government or corporate world. There is nothing wrong with success in this world, but why do we show favoritism? 

These signs of favoritism show a deeper heart issue. It is an issue of glory. Favoritism reveals what we truly glorify in our hearts. We esteem power, sex, money and fame more than anything in this world. We are ready to exchange anything for what we glorify. We tend to compromise, around the values we hold high. 

And when we glory in the things of this world, we stand guilty of breaking the whole law. We claim to have love, but for all practical purposes we choose who we love and what we love. 

It is interesting to note that James refers to Christ as glorious (v.1), His name as noble (v.7) and His law as royal (v.8). But Jesus in His birth, life and death was anything but glorious, noble and royal. He was born in a manger, a feeding trough for animals. He was poor and did not have a home. He was rejected by the religious and social elites. He was not attractive in form and appearance. He was just an ordinary poor man. Why? The reason is because we are unattractive and unholy in the presence of God. We are tainted with sin and filthy before a holy and righteous God. Jesus became unattractive so we can be made attractive through His righteousness. Jesus was rejected so we can be accepted. Jesus became poor so we can become rich in Him. When the gospel takes deep root in our hearts, it rids us of any root of favoritism in our hearts.