Focus intently upon the Word, in order
to be changed.
So often when we think of showing
partiality or favoritism, we tend to think of our junior high and high school
days. Those were the days of our lives that were filled with a great deal of
pressure to belong to the “in crowd,” and many of us would
do almost anything to fit in. For those who were not considered part of the “in
crowd,” they endured being shunned and even humiliated at times. Now that we
are grown up and considered mature adults, we think we have
moved past that stage. However, I encourage you to examine your heart and mind
as you unfold this week’s daily devotion and determine if you might still be
slightly guilty of showing favoritism to certain kinds of people.
Another focus we will examine this
week is the partiality of our sinful nature and how it measures in eyes of God.
Many times we think we are “okay” in His sight because we don’t commit some of
the major visible sins that others commit. However, we may have some secret
sins hidden from public view that God considers just as sinful and atrocious
according to His standards. I encourage you to examine your heart and actions
to see if you may have any secret sins that you consider “not so bad.” Be
prayerful that God will guide you in cleaning out the sinful areas that are
hindering you from being all that God desires you to be.
What is the first partiality?
Sunday: Read
James 2:1-4 “My brothers, show no
partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.
For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly,
and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the
one who wears the fine clothing and say, ‘You sit here in a good place,’ while
you say to the poor man, ‘You stand over there,’ or, ‘Sit down at my feet,’
have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with
evil thoughts?”
Have you ever found yourself being kinder or showing more appropriate
attention to a person who is dressed well as opposed to one who is shabbily
dressed? Before you say, “No” stop and think over some of your recent
encounters. Recently I was in Phoenix, AZ and traveled around town by means of
public transportation. There were many kinds of characters on the public
transportation train rides I had. I found myself feeling very leery of certain
types of people, and I also found myself
looking for those who seemed to be well dressed and possibly going to their job
as a professional. I had it in my head that those types of people would be safe
and nonthreatening to me. One afternoon late in the day, I rode the train with
my husband and son, and we began a conversation with an older lady who was not
what I considered “well dressed.” This lady had the kindest and sweetest
disposition and was very friendly. One morning I was on the train by myself
thinking the same thing that I must sit near someone who is well dressed and
has the appearance of being a professional in the world of business. However,
this day as I was a bit unsure of my stop, it was a lady who was definitely not
dressed as a professional that stepped up to help me understand where my stop
should be. She was not only kind, but she also had a genuine concern and
interest in helping me.
My perceptions are not always correct. As I think about the
people on the train, I begin to see that they are all created by God just as I
am. Yes, there are those of whom I should be cautious because they intend evil
harm, but their appearance is not always the determining factor that puts them
in that category. God created all people, regardless of how much money they
have or what kind of clothes they wear. It is not my place to judge them and
find them guilty of being of lesser quality. It is my responsibility to see all
people as God sees them and to demonstrate love to them as He would.
In your journal today, list times and people you have found
yourself shunning or avoiding because of how they looked or were dressed. After
you make this list, consider each person listed and say a prayer that God will
reach down and bless them in some way today. Also, ask God if you need
forgiveness from Him for how you judged each person. If He is leading you to
repentance, write that in your journal and ask God to forgive you for this
behaviour and attitude toward these people.
Monday: Focus on James 2:5-7“Listen,
my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be
rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love
him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who
oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? Are they not the ones who
blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?” Today as we
focus on our scripture, let’s consider those who seem to be poorer than others.
Have you ever considered that Jesus Christ, God’s Son, the King of Kings, came
into this world and lived as a poor working man? He did not dress in the finest
of clothes and attend the finest schools, nor did He associate exclusively with
the wealthiest in town. He humbled himself as a poor carpenter’s son, whose
earthly father had to work hard in order to take care of his family. The
scripture says that, “God has chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich
in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love
him…” There is a difference in being wealthy with material possessions
and wealthy in faith and in the inheritance of God’s Kingdom. Of course, not
everyone who is poor materially will be rich in Christ, and not everyone who is
wealthy will be without Christ, but it is far better to be poor and have Christ
than to be wealthy and not have Christ.
Generally speaking, it was the wealthy and socially elite
that oppressed the poor and rejected Jesus, a poor man, as the Son of God. This
passage tells us it is dishonourable to the poor man to shun him who does not
have great wealth.
Think today about the people you will encounter this week. It
is possibly that God may place someone of a different social class than yours
in your path who is needing encouragement or kindness demonstrated to them.
This may occur in a public place. Are you willing to be seen by others
demonstrating acts of encouragement and kindness to this person? Be careful of
your answer to this question because God may very well test that answer this
very day.
In your journal express your feelings, whether comfortable or
uncomfortable, about being seen in public conversing and even praying with a
person who is considered lower class than you. Be honest because God already
knows your heart and the truth. If it seems to be a struggle, ask God to give
you the ability to do what He may call you to do when the opportunity arises.
What is the second partiality?
Tuesday:
Focus on James 2:8 “If you really fulfill
the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as
yourself,” you are doing well.” Today
we are only going to focus on one scripture passage. In fact, we are primarily
going to focus on one word: neighbor. Who is your neighbour? Right now answer
that question in your journal.
Now, let’s focus on the meaning of that word. Most of us
tend to think that our neighbor lives either next door to us or at least
within our neighborhood. Is that the meaning intended here? Actually, the
intention here is that we are to demonstrate the kind of love to all people as
we would like to have demonstrated to us. Yes, that means all people that God
created, not just those who live around us. It even includes those whom we
might consider unlovable and even unworthy of love.
We should stop and lend a hand or an encouraging genuine
word to those who are in need regardless of how we see them. We are a very busy
and fast paced society, that rarely has time to give time to the needs of
others. According to this verse, we are to love others the way we love
ourselves, and in order to do that, we must take time to get to know people and
spend time understanding their needs.
In your journal record an event from this week or last week
in which you saw an opportunity to demonstrate love to someone. Record the
events and how you handled the situation. Did you seize the moment or did you
allow it to pass you by? Do you wish you would have handled it in a more
appropriate manner? If so, pray and ask God to allow you another opportunity,
so you will have a chance to appropriately show God’s love to someone that
really needs to be loved. After you encounter that event, record the details
and your feelings about the event.
Wednesday: Focus on James 2:8-11 “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the
Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But
if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as
transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has
become guilty of all of it. For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also
said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have
become a transgressor of the law.”
Yesterday, we questioned the
demonstration of love to others. Today, we are going to consider our sinful
nature and reflect to see if we have sins that are hindering our relationship with
Christ. As we think about the sin in our life, many of us tend to think we are
doing okay because we are not committing the wicked and visible sins such as
murder or adultery. If we have not committed such a big sin, then we must be
okay in God’s eyes. Right?
Wrong! If we have any unconfessed sin in our life, God is not
pleased with us. Just because it is hidden from the world, God still sees it
and knows it exists. If sin is there, we are considered a transgressor of the
law. It doesn’t matter how small we think the sin is; it is still sin to God,
and it separates us from a close relationship with Him.
Today, focus on your heart and your actions. In your journal
write a prayer asking God to reveal to you anything unconfessed and unforgiven
sin that you may have that you are unaware of. Once He reveals it, begin
praying and asking forgiveness.
Thursday: Focus on James 2:12-13 “So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under
the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no
mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” Too many times we judge others
pretty harshly based on the sin in which they are involved when it is visible
and obvious. We sometimes even go so far as to think we are far above those
people because we are by no means involved in such things as they are. This
attitude creates a major problem for us. We are putting ourself in the place of
God and measuring sins and placing them into categories and excusing the lesser
levels of the categories. Not only are we not to measure our sin and judge
others based on their sin, but we are also not to place judgment on others.
That is a responsibility set aside for God. Each person’s sin is between that
individual and God. Yes, we can pray for and counsel those who will allow us,
but we are not to take it upon ourselves to become the judgement of God in their
lives.
We should have a broken and compassionate heart for those who
are in visible and known sin. We should love them enough to pray for them and
provide guidance if God prompts us to go to them. If God does lead us to
someone, it is very important to remember that we are not going to them to act
as his/her judge, but we are going to help a brother or sister to find
restoration with and forgiveness from God. We should not go to any person in
such a condition until we have spent time with God ourselves confessing and
allowing Him to reveal and cleanse us of the sins He sees in our lives and
hearts.
Search your heart and evaluate your thoughts and opinions of
others in whom you have seen visible signs of sin. How do you deal with those
people? Do you think badly and judgmental of them? Do you feel sad and broken
hearted for their condition and earnestly pray for them from a heart of love?
In your journal write a person’s name for whom you believe God wants you to
earnestly and passionately begin praying.
Friday: Reflect on James 2:1-4 “My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord
Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine
clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes
in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say,
‘You sit here in a good place,’ while you say to the poor man, ‘You stand over
there,’ or, ‘Sit down at my feet,’ have you not then made distinctions among
yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?” Review this passage and exam your
heart as you have encountered people all this week. Did you see everyone from
God’s perspective, or did you still have tendency to see them through eyes of
judgement and place a lesser value on their soul because of who they are or how
they look? In your journal write your progress in this matter or write your
struggle and desire to overcome this attitude. Today’s thought is short, but it
may require you to spend a great deal of time in prayer and journaling with God
and your heart.
Saturday: Reflect on James 2:12-13 ““So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under
the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no
mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” Have you thoroughly dealt with the
Mercy that we are to demonstrate to others? Are there still people with whom
you are struggling to offer mercy? Sometimes people living in known sin tend to
step on others and hurt them as they diligently work to get their desires.
Often they do not even care that they have hurt people as long as they get what
they desire. Do you know someone who behaves in this way? Has someone you know
and love been hurt by such a person? Have you been hurt by such a person?
Today, as you reflect on this passage and your heart,
remember that offering mercy and forgiveness to these people is very difficult.
You may struggle with this for a while, and sometimes when you think you have
mastered it, the negativity resurfaces. Don’t be hard on yourself; be merciful
and ask God to help you to overcome, and then ask God to enable you to offer
mercy and forgiveness to that person. You will not be able to do this in your
own strength. You must rely on God to give you the ability and even the desire
to offer mercy and forgiveness.
Reflect these thoughts in your journal and be patient with
yourself as you work through this process.
May you be blessed.
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