When given the choice, I will choose White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies over any other cookie. I am definitely partial to White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies. I just think they are better than any of the other choices I may have. Putting it in simple terms, I favor White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies over other varieties.
Is favoring one variety of cookies over another variety a sin? Of course not!
Lessons from the book of James (#7)
Is it o.k. to be partial to a particular group of people? Is it o.k. to favor rich over poor? Is it o.k. to treat one group of people better than another group?
What does the bible say about partiality?
My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
…. if you show partiality, you are committing sin …
(James 2:1-4 & 9 ESV)
Intellectually I get it. Scripture says that treating the poor with less respect than the rich is sin. I understand what James 2:1-9 is saying. Do I put this into practice?
Do I treat people like I treat cookies, favoring one group over another? Am I as respectful to the “homeless” person who knocks on my door as I am to the people that I worship with at church? Do I “favor” the individuals in my “small group” more than others? I need to be asking myself these questions.
If I want to be maturing in my walk with the Lord, I need to remind myself that …. if I show partiality, I am committing sin … . I know that I need to ask God to help me to be impartial to all people.
How about you? How are you handling partiality?
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