JAMES DAY 12 PRAYER
Pray that you will not show favoritism to others. Pray that you will love your neighbor as yourself so as to be doing right. (James 2:1-9)
James 2:1-9 (New International Version)
1My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism. 2Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. 3If 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,” 4have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
5Listen, 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? 6But 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? 7Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?
8If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. 9But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.
JAMES DAY 12 CHALLENGE
Favoritism; hummm, where would we find that? Well it certainly wouldn’t take me long to look around into my own life and see it first hand. Sadly, this happens with me more than I’d like to admit and I’m sure some of you can relate.
Are we friendlier to someone who has status, fame, a higher position, is more spiritual, successful, wealthier, good looking, older, younger, of a certain race, of a certain gender, popular, a person in authority, etc.?
When we find ourselves giving others preferential treatment we are sinning, period. As we have seen just from the first chapter of James alone, he certainly doesn’t beat around the bush. When we go out of our way to give someone better treatment because we deem them as “special” for all the wrong reasons, or because there is something we can gain from them, then we better have a little one-on-one with God and get our head straight in this area. Not only are we messing with our relationship with God, but also other people watch this behavior and frankly it doesn’t give Jesus a real good name!
As we go about our day today, let’s pay attention to our behaviors towards others and see if we can catch ourselves playing favorites.
SPECIAL PRAYER TO WIVES FOR THEIR HUSBANDS:
JAMES DAY 12 PRAYER
Pray that your husband will not show favoritism to others. Pray that he will love his neighbor as himself so as to be doing right. (James 2:1-9)
JAMES DAY 12 CHALLENGE
This is a very difficult topic. I have seen few people do what James calls us to do here well. I fall into this trap more often than I’d like to admit. Trying to impress people who have fame, money, a higher position, intelligence, success, or whatever is something we all struggle with whether we want to admit it or not. We can’t possibly in our flesh love everyone as ourselves equally all the time.
Click here for the rest of today’s challenge.
