James 2:1—Favoritism

My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism.  James 2:1

Ecclesiastes 7:18 declares, “It is good that you grasp one thing and viagra mas barata also not let go of the acheter levitra france cookiesfilms.com other; for the one who fears God comes forth with both of them.” When standing in faith for more than one desired outcome, God gives you the go ahead: Hold onto every bit of it by faith in the fear of God and you will come forth with it all.

However, when it comes to holding onto faith while at the same time carrying an attitude of personal favoritism, don’t expect a similar God-endorsed outcome. The two are diametrically opposed to one another; an attitude of personal favoritism will always undermine your faith and expose it as deficient.

The Amplified Bible says it this way, “My brethren, pay no servile regard to people [show no prejudice, no partiality]. Do not [attempt to] hold and practice the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ [the Lord] of glory [together with snobbery]!”

“Servile”, according to Encarta Dictionary, means being “too willing to agree with somebody or to do anything, however demeaning, that somebody wants”. My eighth graders called this kind of person a “suck-up” (a term I wouldn’t let them use in class)—someone who leeches self-esteem from their interactions with “the man” or the “diva” of the day.

How does this attitude manifest? It comes on the canadian generic viagra scene in a number of ways, and unfortunately, each manifestation produces winners and losers, a pecking order, or a type of caste system that pigeon-holes individuals, causing them to feel restricted in the full expression of who they are.

As awkward as it is to discuss, in church life this kind of partiality is one of the prime sources of discomfort, pain, and a nagging sense of isolation that emerges within a body of believers. Whenever someone makes it his mission to identify with the “right people” within the body, to rub shoulders with perceived VIPs, or to name drop to prove his importance, there’s a good chance that this person is operating with an attitude of personal favoritism.

Unfortunately, this drive does not serve the intended purpose—to make the person more loved, respected, and integrated into a healthy body; instead it tends to create invisible barriers between members—barriers that broadcast who is desirable, who is acceptable, who is OK, who is so-so, and who is probably better left avoided. Think middle school and high school.

Again, the Amplified takes no prisoners when it uses the word “snobbery” as a synonym for “personal favoritism”. Walking in faith and glorifying the precious name of the Lord must not dwell together within the same person alongside snobbery. Nothing will hinder the witness of a believer nearly as brazenly as snobbish partiality.

The Greek term koinōnia is used often in the New Testament for our words “fellowship”, “community”, “communion” and “communication”. As my pastor once said, this word for fellowship means “two fellows in the same ship”—a sense of community and the free flow of communication one among the other. In such a body, no member feels “too good” or “too insignificant”—so-called “standing” in the body does not even cross anyone’s mind. Why not? Because healthy Christian life and cialis buy community has no room for personal favoritism. Snobbery—as the Amplified Bible calls it—has been laid aside along with the rest of the works of the flesh.

My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism.

If you notice that you have operated in an attitude of personal favoritism in any way, talk openly to God about it. Receive cleansing and forgiveness and allow Him to readjust you from within so that wherever you go, that sweet sense of community and fellowship can flow unhindered.

Dorothy