James 2:1-9

You are sitting in church one warm Sunday morning. You got there a little early, amazingly, and actually are there early enough to watch others come through the back door to find their seats. There is Brother Jim Johnson. He’s one of the elders. Behind him comes a person you haven’t seen before. He’s dressed smartly and you are sure he must be a prominent businessman or doctor. Maybe he’s new in town. You make a mental note to meet him after the service. As you are planning what you’ll say, slowly a haggard old man shuffles through the church doors. He looks like he’s living on the streets, and an unpleasant little odor starts to find your nose. Ugh. You wonder who this forgotten fellow is, but your thoughts quickly return to the important man you will meet in another hour or so after the service.

I know this is not a common occurrence for most of us, but it makes us consider how our reaction might be if faced with an obvious choice in how we plan to treat a rich man vs. a poor one. The New Testament writer James provides ample warning for Christians in such situations…


“My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. 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,’ have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

Listen, my dear brothers: 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? But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?

If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.”
(James 2:1-9)

Why is it the natural thing for us humans to notice those with wealth and popularity, but almost ignore those who are poor? This should not be… James tells us so; Jesus tells us so throughout the New Testament; and looking back through history we can see that God’s heart is overwhelmingly for the poor. If the Lord who we serve and try to model our lives after cares so much for the poor, then so should we.