Playing Favorites (James 2:1-13)

Favoritism is Discrimination
James 2:1-4 “My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby 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?”

Why would the church give the rich man a good seat and put the poor man on the floor? Judges with evil hearts treat people based on what they perceive the other person can offer them or the congregation. These perceptions are always based on generalizations that are otherwise known as prejudice. Prejudice always leads to discrimination. Prejudices are evil thoughts because they inevitably lead us to treat people with inequality for selfish reasons.

Some modern examples exist in ways we may not notice. Prejudice, favoritism, and discrimination are subtle sins we often refuse to see in ourselves. We may not offer the rich a better seat at church today, but we may play favorites in other ways. Perhaps a church wants to use more modern music in its services to equally reach out to all age groups, but then the traditionalists in the church, who have been there for years, get upset. They threaten to stop giving to the church or to stop attending. Using the large financial contribution they give as leverage, they try to motivate the church leaders not to do anything but traditional worship. Church leaders may play favorites by submitting to the will of the traditionalists to keep them happy and giving.

Other churches may go in another direction. They may gear their worship only for the younger audience. They use only modern instrumentation and methods. They totally alienate their base, who has been coming for years. People who like hymns are considered old fashioned. They have to put up with the new songs and no old hymns or just leave. When you gear your church for the edification of only one certain segment of society, you are playing favorites. Rather than take a traditional or contemporary stance, why not do both. “And” is always better than “or” when morally possible.

Rather than reach out to just one segment, we should reach out to all. Maybe this is a blended worship service with all elements used. Maybe this is two services geared differently to meet the various group’s needs. In a multicultural world, we need a multicultural approach to make sure we are not discriminating in our services.

Favoritism is Insulting
James 2:5-7 “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? 6 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? 7 Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?”

Ironically, we often show our favoritism to those who least deserve it. It’s often the gossip, the contentious, the chronic whiners or the unspiritual church bullies who receive the favoritism. No one deserves special treatment. Nobody should receive preferential treatment. In James, when they showed favoritism toward the rich, they insulted the poor. By showing favoritism, it says that the rich deserve more than the poor. That is an evil thought.

Do seniors deserve more than younger people? Then why are most churches still dominated by a 50 year old music style and traditions? Do the middle class people deserve more than the low income families? Why are most new church plants in upper-middle class neighborhoods? Do young families deserve more than college age singles? Why are college aged programs so rare and that demographic missing from our churches? Do senior high youth deserve more than toddlers? Why do we have more youth ministers than children’s ministers? Do whites deserve more than blacks? Why are most Christian Churches dominated by whites and not blacks? Discrimination is not believing that one group is better than another. Most church members don’t believe that. Discrimination is treating one group with preferential favoritism. Many churches do that.

Favoritism Is Unlawful
James 2:8-11 “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, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ also said, ‘Do not murder.’ If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.”

Favoritism is sin. It is wrong. It violates the second greatest commandment which is to love your neighbor as yourself. It is a higher law than the Ten Commandments. It is the Golden rule. If you love God and love your neighbor as yourself you will keep the whole law. If you show favoritism, you are a lawbreaker. The greatest commandment was not, do not murder, do not steal, or do not commit adultery. It was to love God and the second greatest was to love your neighbor as yourself.

Most of us would never murder. We wouldn’t think of stealing. We wouldn’t commit adultery. But somehow, we justify breaking a greater commandment, and refuse to love our neighbor as ourself. We show favoritism in our churches, work places, schools and daily lives. We treat people in a way we would not want to be treated. There is a greater commandment than the ten commandments. Too many Christians are too casual about the terrible sin of favoritism.

Favoritism is Unmerciful
James 2:12-13 “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!”

Favoritism is out of character for a Christian. Christians are to follow the example of Christ. He never played favorites. We will be judged by the law that gives freedom. We will have to stand before the judgment seat of God and give an account for our life. Jesus said in Matthew 5: 7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” If you want to receive God’s mercy, you must offer mercy. Jesus said in Mark 4:24 "…With the measure you use, it will be measured to you— and even more.” If we give mercy to others and treat people with equality, God will give us even more mercy. But, if we discriminate with evil thoughts and intentions in our hearts, God will give us judgment. If we want to escape judgment, we must extend mercy. Favoritism is unmerciful; it turns us into judges with evil thoughts and will bring judgment upon us. Only by showing mercy can we triumph over judgment.

Make sure that in your life and in your church that you help the rich AND the poor, the old AND the young, the old fashioned AND the modern, the seniors AND the college age, the teens AND the toddlers, the blacks AND the whites, the educated and the uneducated, the powerful AND the weak, the moral AND the sinners. Show no favoritism, because it is discrimination, insulting, unlawful and unmerciful.

Go here to hear more about equality:
http://www.historychannel.com/speeches/ra/970828.ram