Read

James 2:1-7

¹My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim that you have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people more than others?

²For instance, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in shabby clothes. ³If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, “You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor”–well, ⁴doesn’t this discrimination show that you are guided by wrong motives?

⁵Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him? ⁶And yet, you insult the poor man! Isn’t it the rich who oppress you and drag you into court? ⁷Aren’t they the ones who slander Jesus Christ, whose noble name you bear?

Reflect

A homeless man had been living in Chicago not knowing who he was. He went under the name Jay Tower and sold newspapers on the corner. He lived at the Pacific Gardens Mission and attended the Arch of Safety church. His situation was mysterious. He could have been anybody or nobody. Would you have helped him? Someone did. Bishop Hermon Jackson did. Bishop Jackson said, “He could have been a congressman or a criminal, but either way I knew that he was a child of God.”

Bishop Jackson was living James 2. He didn’t care whether Jay was rich or poor. He knew that in God’s sight, we are all equal. If we help someone who seems to have it all together and ignore those who are really in need, we sin against God.

So what ever came of Jay? After being featured on America’s Most Wanted, someone identified him as a New York lawyer who had been missing for seven months named Ramond Power, Jr.

Respond

Jesus always ministered to people whom others had written off as untouchable. How does Jesus example motivate you to serve others?

How is it dangerous to our spiritual life if we ignore those whom Jesus said would inherit the Kingdom?

What do you say to people who say, “I’m just not comfortable around those people.”?

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