James 2:1-13 Favoritism

James 2: 1-13

By Brad Ruley  

    

The main point of this passage is that we are called to "love your neighbor as yourself."  James tells a story about a meeting and a rich person walks in and you give him the seat next to you. Then soon after a poor person comes in with filthy clothes and a bad stench and you tell him to sit on the floor. So, what

James says in these verses to not discriminate or in my twelve-year-old mind, have favoritism. We shouldn't show favoritism because you can hurt someone's feelings and make them feel left out of things and make them question am I good enough.  This really stood out to me because this has happened to me in my life.  I have been judged unfairly by others.  I remember a specific time on the bus when I was made fun of by an older student who treated others as if he was better than them.  It made me feel angry.  

We are all equal in God's eyes.  We all sin and make mistakes.  James warns us in 2:13 "there will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others.  But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you."  Biblical mercy is that you are forgiven and not punished.  When you forgive everybody who did stuff to you in the past or present, then when you die, God will be the same way and without giving you a punishment when he judges you.