Always Put On A Name Tag

Have you ever been talking to someone and noticed that they are scanning the room to see who else is there? It makes you feel unimportant, doesn’t it?

James is directly addressing the issue of showing favour towards one person over another. He points out that partiality is especially prone to emerge in the presence of wealth or power.

I fear that without Jesus, we would all prefer people just like us. We’d like the same language, colour, socio-economic status, interest in music, food, or work. In our city church, we have some of the wealthiest people in the city and some with no fixed address. There is a temptation to favour one over another, and I suspect you face similar temptations. This is why James is so direct.

Followers of Jesus are to relate rightly with everyone: rich or poor, well-known or unknown, status or none. Be humble. The secret to that is getting to know Jesus. The more we get to know him, the more humility develops in our lives.

While I was working with Charles Swindoll, we attended a conference together. “Chuck” is well known for his radio broadcast ministry called “Insight for Living.” At the entrance to the conference, there was a registration table where you put on name tags. As he leaned over with me to pick up a name tag, I quipped, “Chuck, I don’t think you need one of those.” LOL!

As I laughed, Chuck smiled at me and said, “Carson, always put on a name tag.” With that, he slapped the sticky tag onto his shirt and entered the room, greeting people as he went.

With those few words, this mentor taught me something about preferential treatment. Don’t think of yourself as more special than anyone else.

Respond in Prayer

Jesus, I admit that I cannot live without you. Help me to have a heavenly perspective. Help me see people as you see them. Heighten my awareness of moments when I show partiality to others and help me live a life of humility. Amen (meaning “so be it.”)

Carson Pue