Day 2 – Compassionate service – what a Christian does
James 2 vs1-7 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?
Don’t favor the rich over the poor. Don’t always favor people by their appearance
There are 8 reasons why showing favoritism is wrong:
1- It is inconsistent with Christ’s teachings.
2- It results from evil thoughts
3- It insults people made in God’s image
4- It is a byproduct of selfish motives
5- It goes against the biblical definition of love
6- It shows a lack of mercy to those who are less fortunate
7- It is hypocritical
8- It is a sin
Many times we as people judge a book by its cover. We think if people are different from us that we don’t need to hang around them. It is wrong especially for believers.
Unfortunately we as parents show favoritism to our children. We don’t need to do that because it creates friction in our homes. Sometimes we favor people because of the benefit it brings us; which is selfish? Jesus ate with sinners, spoke to prostitutes, He poured His heart into the broken and forgotten people.
Reflect on your own life for a moment:
Was there a time you were shunned for something others didn’t like?
How did that make you feel?
Think for a moment about the love and mercy God showed you, even when you didn’t deserve it.
Think of ways that you can truly show the love of God to others.
List a few ways:
God I pray that you help us to grow in your love and mercy. God open our eyes to see others as you do. Lord make our hearts sensitive to your spirit and full of your love that we can show the love of God to all those around us.
