no favorites

It’s almost impossible to escape favoritism. As a Vikings fan, it’s obvious that ESPN and most refs have a preference for Green Bay, and will give Aaron Rogers any call he asks for. (Don’t @ me – I know this is just perception.) In grade school, there were teachers’ pets. At work every boss has a favorite. And “Dad always loved you best” is a catch phrase that works precisely because so often it’s true.

That’s why God’s church is such a great thing. Jesus has no favorites.

Look at this, excerpted from James 2:1-9: “My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? . . .  If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.”

Think of what that means. Really, think about it: have you ever been part of anything here on earth where favoritism wasn’t real? Not that it’s always a problem because we all get it, and we don’t make a big deal out of it because we’re trained to be adults about such things. But all of us have resentments that remain to this day from times we were wounded by this problem.

Among the many worldly problems Jesus confronted and defeated while he was here on earth was favoritism. In heaven all are equal, and in God’s church it must be so as well. Another reason Christmas is a big deal.