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? 5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?
8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. 9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
—The words of the Apostle James from James 2:1-13
Do you have a favorite flavor of ice cream? What’s your favorite flavor? Do you know what the number one favorite flavor of ice cream is? Vanilla! Yes, vanilla. Vanilla is the number one flavor of ice cream. And, the second most favorite flavor is chocolate!
What about colors? Do you have a favorite color? Most people have a favorite color, a favorite song, a favorite food, a favorite gadget or toy, maybe a favorite car, a favorite golf course, or a favorite vacation spot. We all have “things” that we like better than other “things.” It is really okay to have favorite “things.”
But, when it comes to the way we treat other people—the way we talk to them, the way we look at them, they way we smile at them, the way we show kindness and love to them—we really should not have favorites.
How would you like it if your husband or wife, or your mom or dad, treated your best friend better than they treat you? If your best friend came over to your house to visit, and your spouse or parent gave your friend a big bowl of ice cream, but didn’t give you any. Wouldn’t that be really silly?
You see God wants us to show His love to other people by treating them with kindness no matter what they look like, no matter what kind of clothes they wear, no matter how rich they are, or no matter how poor they are.
God loves us very much. He loves you very much. And, He loves me very much. God loves you and me so much, that He sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to be our Savior.
God loves us exactly as we are. He loves us if we are tall. He loves us if we are short. He loves us if we are fat. He loves us if we are thin. He loves us if we have new clothes. He loves us if we have old clothes. He loves us if we are rich. And, He loves us if we are poor. God loves us exactly as we are.
And, God expects us to love other people the same way He loves us. He expects us to love them if they are tall. He expects us to love them if they are short. He expects us to love them if they are fat. He expects us to love them if they are thin. He expects us to love them if they have new clothes. He expects us to love them if they have old clothes. He expects us to love them if they are rich. He expects us to love them if they are poor.
You see, it is okay to have favorite things like flavors of ice cream, or colors, or gadgets, or toys, or foods, or golf courses, or vacation spots. It’s okay to have favorite “things.” But, when it comes to people, God wants us to love all people the same way He loves us.
Will you pray with me?
Precious Father, thank You for loving us just the way we are. Help us to love other people the same way You love them. Help us to love them just the way they are. We pray in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
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