The foolishness of favouritism

My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. James 2:1

As a mom of two, it was tough to be fair and impartial always — especially in the kids’ younger days. Situations like negotiating over toys or chocolates were all too common, especially when there only one was available sometimes. It’s not that we mean to show favouritism but, somehow, it is seen that way. All while you are trying to teach them that ‘sharing is caring’ (confessions of a mom, sigh)!

Prone to be partial

By definition, favouritism is the practice of giving unfair preferential treatment to one person or group at the expense of another.

Here’s what Scripture says in this regard:

• Leviticus 19:15 — “You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbour.
• Romans 2:11 — For God shows no partiality.

What James 2:1-7 talks about too is as spot-on today as it was in the first century. We all have a vast tendency to treat people differently. Left to ourselves, we are or can be prejudiced. We favour one, and dismiss another. Entertain one, and endure the other. We label, assume, and speak of individuals as “they” or “those kinds”. And we believe it will all be even if we show basic cordiality to the person we’ve devalued.

We all have a vast tendency to treat people differently. Left to ourselves, we favour one, and dismiss another. Entertain one, and endure the other

But feeling sorry for one group after you favour the other does not balance the scales. We may think that we, who spend time in God’s Word and live life in the Spirit, are well past the ignorance of favouritism, but sadly we are not.

From James 2:1-7, we see that it’s more about some who seem like winners and others who seem like losers. At the end of the day, we are partial to what impresses us. We naturally prefer those who possess what we desire or esteem — be it money, social status, power, talent, spirituality, intelligence, or beauty — and devalue those who don’t.

Do we ever catch ourselves paying obvious attention to one and covert attention to another? What about giving preferential treatment?

Faith vs favouritism

In James 2:1, take a look at how James pits faith against favouritism. We cannot mix the two. It’s like baby powder and gunpowder — and we are kidding ourselves if we think we are a blend of both.

In verse 2, the setting is the assembly/meeting (you can picture it as your church, a small group bible study, or any gathering of believers). Two contrasting people walk in. The first is wearing a gold ring and fine clothes. The other is in dirty, filthy clothes suggesting that he probably also didn’t smell very good. Now, picture a greeter so warmly embracing the one poorly dressed that no one can smell a thing besides Christ. That’s how love covers!

Verse 4 further reminds us what we become if we show favouritism and discriminate. The text says we become “judges with evil thoughts”. However, in verse 5, James points out that God chose the poor in the eyes of the world “to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which He has promised” — how amazing is that! Now, the verse doesn’t say that all poor people are rich in faith and all rich people, poor. The biggest qualifier of the blessed poor is at the end of verse 5: the promise is to those who love Him.

God chose the poor in the eyes of the world “to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which He has promised” — how amazing is that!

Albert Barnes offers this insight in his commentary: “There was to be no favouritism on account of rank, birth, wealth, or apparel. The reasons which the apostle assigns why they should not do this are:

1. That God has chosen the poor for His own people;
2. Because rich men, in fact, oppressed them, and showed that they were worthy of no special regard;
3. Because they were often found among revilers, and, in fact, despised their religion; and,
4. Because the law required that they should love their neighbours as themselves, and if they did this, it was all that was demanded; that is, that the love of the man was not to be set aside by the love of splendid apparel.”

‘Blessed are those who lack’

The math is very simple: have much, need little; have little, need much. Blessed are those who need God. Blessed are those who know Him enough to know that He is enough! As Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3).

Blessed are those who know Him enough to know that He is enough

Do you see it? How is it that we are so inclined to prefer those who would not prefer us? How do we prefer people like celebrities, pop stars, sports icons — even the rich, beautiful, “spiritual”, and intelligent in our own circles —, even though some of them mock the very God to whom we belong? May God help us see if there is even a hint of our faces in the mirror of favouritism!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You are just, good, and upright. We praise You. Scripture shows us that You do not show favouritism. We are grateful for this truth. Help us, Lord, for we confess that we are not like You. Help us to recognise this tendency in our lives and change us, O Lord, that we may not become judges with evil thoughts. May we be pure in heart and poor in spirit. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen!