Favoritism - James 2

Good morning everyone! God is good all the time, all the time God is good.  TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!
    Wow!  Is God good or is God good?!?  Have you ever looked at something and did not see; yet you saw?  Then suddenly what you saw just hit you right between the eyes!  This happened to me, once again, while reading my Bible.  You may say, aw, that's old hat; I have known that for ages.  If so, GREAT!  However, for me it was another revelation God has so generously opened to my eyes, mind, and heart.
   James 2, click here to read it all.  This will be my topic this week, and the first 8 verses talk about discrimination.  Anyone here familiar with this?  Yep! We all are.  James 2, verse 1: 2 My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. Okay,read this once again, specially the last 4 words - MUST NOT SHOW FAVORITISM.
   In our society this favoritism or discrimination continues, and has been existence since the beginning of time as we know it.  The first slaves, as a people, we know about were the Israelites, the Jews.  Then as time progressed people enslaved their own and others.  Why?  Because of their power, their position  at that time, their discrimination.
   Another version of the Bible says, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?  James, here, is condemning acts of favoritism.  You know this happens today.  A well dressed individual and a lesser dressed individual walk into a store, a car dealership, most businesses where salesmen are there to assist and make a living; who do you think they will assist first?  Why?  Because they figure the odds of the sale are greater, discrimination?  Yes.
   Sometimes, we would rather associate with someone who appears to have status than one with no status.  Why?  It gives off the aire of being successful.  James tells us, and we must remember that these "successful" people may have become so at our expense, and, they are getting their glory, their reward now, here on earth.  Do you wish your reward to be here and now, or later on in heaven?
   How do you show favoritism?  How do you discriminate?  Oh, yes you do!  We all do!  We have to let Jesus be in our heart and be our guide so as to eliminate this trait. The difference is, a non-believer may revile in his/her discrimination; whereas the believer, the Christian will recognize this short coming and ask forgiveness.  If you wish to read more on this go to Christianity- Thoughts by Johnny.
   Thank you for reading with me today. Love you all.
In Christ's Love and Grace
   Johnny