Read James 2:1-7.
It’s Sunday morning, and you are standing in the foyer welcoming people as they arrive. A visitor enters the building with a suit and tie and has the appearance of a wealthy businessman. At about the same time, another visitor enters who is shabbily dressed, with long, unkept hair, and obviously hasn’t had a bath for a while.
Who gets your time and attention?
That is the situation James is talking about in this passage. James speaks of “a poor man in vile raiment” coming to church. The Greek word vile, used here, means that this poor man is filthy and foul, dressed in shabby clothes.
James tells us in this passage that it is important for us to see that everyone is to be loved and respected equally in the church.
Do we welcome him, love him, respect him, spend time visiting with him, show an interest in him, and treat him equally to the well-dressed businessman? Or is he largely ignored and left alone?
James tells us in this passage that it is important for us to see that everyone is to be loved and respected equally in the church.
We read in Galatians 3:28 that in the church, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Can we truly look beyond the outward appearance and see that every person, no matter what their appearance and status in life might be, is someone that God loves and died to save? And do we understand that God’s kingdom is largely made up of “poor” people?
Jesus Christ, our example, left the glory of heaven and came to this corrupt world to save sinners like us. He was born in dire poverty so that we might have the riches of heaven. He did so because He loved every one of us regardless of our appearance or status in life.
And we should love the poor and the lowly just as He did.
Jesus Christ, our example, left the glory of heaven and came to this corrupt world to save sinners like us.
Reflective Questions:
- What determines the value of a person to you? Do you struggle with treating everyone equally?
- Is there anyone that the Lord did not love enough to die for?
- Can you truly look beyond external appearances and see that each person is of infinite value to God and should likewise be loved and respected by us?
Memory Verse:
My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. James 2:1
Prayer:
Dear God, I am thankful that you left the wealth and glory of heaven and came to earth and lived in dire poverty so that I might have the riches of heaven. Help me to see people the same way You do. Help me to treat all people equally.
Related Scriptures:
Proverbs 24:23; Deuteronomy 16:19; Matthew 22:16; II Corinthians 8:9; John 7:24; Job 34:19; Luke 6:20; Revelation 2:9; Proverbs 17:5
Great reminder as always when we read God’s word.