Everyone wants to feel loved. Even the most hardened criminal deep down inside wants love.But not everyone feels love, many are rejected and unwelcome.
Sometimes we are all guilty of favoritism. We tend to judge people by what they have or don't have, skin color, nationality and whatever box we can put them in.
The problem with putting people into categories,it's easy to forget they have feelings, fears, hopes and dreams, just like us.
The bible calls us to love each other and show that love in practical ways. James shows us the biggest road block to showing love...is favoritism.James 2:1-13
The Greek word used for favoritism in James 2:1 is (prospolepsia)=partiality,favoritism, it has the idea of giving judgment on a person based on the outward circumstances, not on inward merits. Or you could say on their appearance rather than content of character.
James 2:4 He says favoritism starts with evil thoughts. It does not matter how you justify favoritism, it starts with evil thoughts. Favoritism always hurts someone...
Romans 15:7 Says to accept one another, just as Christ accepted you.
The Greek word for accept is (proslambano) it means to grant access to your heart
That's exactly what Jesus did for us, He accepted us into His Heart. Even before we changed our behavior. While we were still sinners and enemies of the Cross, Jesus died for you and I. We should accept people (access to our hearts) no matter where they are from or what they have done, Christ died for them too.
James says if we show favoritism we are guilty of sin and will be judged, sinful attitudes hinder our walk with God. Sins of attitude are the foundation for sins of action.
That's why repentance has to do with a change of mind, behavior won't change until we change our mind. What we believe impacts how we behave.
God doesn't look at the outward appearance He looks at the attitudes of the heart.
People matter to God, so they should matter to us.
We are all "God's Favorites"...
