James 2:1-13
My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? 2 For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, 3 and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Have a seat here, please,” while to the one who is poor you say, “Stand there,” or, “Sit at my feet,” 4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into court? 7 Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you?
8 You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 9 But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. 11 For the one who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery but if you murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.
What does the Passage say?
V. 1-7 James is going strong on the discrimination happening in the church. He sees the church where people from all background can come and worship. However, the Christians dishonored the poor, while they focused their hostilities to the rich.
V. 8-13 ‘Showing partiality,’ according to James is a sin. Not only that it violates one of the Great Commandments, but it also holds us to be accountable to subjected to violating all laws. Then he suggests a golden rule, ‘So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty’ (v. 12 NRSV).
What does the Passage say to me/us?
“My Dear Friends, don’t let public opinion influence how you live out our glorious, Christ-originated faith” (v. 2 The Message).
We are all guilty by this verse. Even I feel comfortable talking and engaging with people, who seem to have a particular figure. Where did this conception come from? Maybe from the world.
Because of the influence of the world, we start to judge others by their figures. We quickly fall into the rut of building a community with only the ones who look and act like us. And the people in that community have to pour their effort to fit into that particular standard. What kind of monster did we create in us? How can we free us from this chain of conception?
I ask the Holy Spirit to work in my own heart and mind. Let me see people in the eyes of our Lord. Help me to act according to my faith.
Prayer
Lord, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, you made us one, regardless of our differences. Help us not focus on our differences, but rather see the universal love that continues to pour in our life. Be with us. In Christ name, AMEN
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