Especially notice the first 7 verses that talk about how a rich man is treated when he comes in, and the contrast with how a poor man is treated in the same assembly. The rich man is honored with the best seat in the house, while the poor man is shunted aside and treated with no respect. James, the inspired writer, goes ahead to explore the motives of such behavior by saying:
"Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world
to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom
promised those who love him? But you have insulted the poor.
Is it not the rich who are exploiting you?"(vv. 5-6)
It is just human nature to put some people on a pedestal. For example, when someone from a "royal family" gets married, it makes the news all over the world. That is especially true if the bride is young and beautiful and the groom is handsome and rich! Movie stars attract huge crowds who wait for hours just to get a glimpse of them in person as they walk the red carpet. Yes, it is human nature to want to associate with the rich and famous. We honor them with our admiration and our hard-earned money!
On the other hand, we don't stand in line to see a homeless man search through trash to find something to eat. Human nature turns away from such a sight, despising the man and wanting to stay as far from him as possible. His clothes are dirty and he does not smell of Chanel No. 5. He has nothing to offer us in the way of prestige or contact opportunities! We do not give a party in honor of the poor man who cannot pay his mortgage. Instead, we look up to people who have boo-koos of money which we will never have any part in. It is just human nature, but this is not the Christ-like, spiritual way to live.
"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..." (vv. 8-9)
The Bible is an amazing book for many reasons, but this is one that validates it's authenticity and inspiration. No ordinary book would be telling us to treat the poor with the same honor and respect as we treat the rich and famous! No ordinary book would be telling you and me to offer food and work to a homeless man just because that is what I would want if I were in his shoes. No ordinary book would tell me to help the woman with several children and not enough food in the house just because I like to eat and have my children going to bed full instead of hungry.
Of course, we need to all be responsible for our own family first, but we should also actually search for opportunities to give someone in need help and comfort. Why? Because if I were in that same place, in that same circumstance of need, I would desperately want someone to reach out and help me. That is why One Life Church has gone into the streets of downtown Houston and offered sack lunches to the homeless. That is why they have collected and passed out warm blankets to help warm the poor in bitter cold weather. When we do such things we are serving our Lord in the way He told us to. We honor the poor in the best way we know how.
Beyond that, Jesus taught us to do that by both His words and His example. He left Heaven and came to earth to live a humble life and die a terrible death just for you and for me! He gave us His new covenant and in it he told us to be merciful and to love our neighbor as ourself. We can't take care of everybody who has need, but we can surely reach out and touch someone -- as many as we are able to help in a responsible way. Physically helping someone often opens their heart to receive spiritual words that can save a soul. Bring light into the darkness in every way that you can! Jesus did.
There was a commercial by a phone company several years ago that said, "Reach out and touch someone!" The thought today is that we can reach out and touch the poor, normal people in need, instead of giving rich and famous people our honor and resources. We can possibly put this into focus by thinking about who we might invite as guests into our home. Why not invite someone who has not got the resources to repay you? that is true giving.
President Obama, Brad Pitt, Donald Trump, Oprah Winfrey, Queen Elizabeth, or Frank Thompson who just lost his job and house -- if I could choose one of these to come to my house for dinner tonight, who would I choose? I still remember that my dear daddy used to say of the President, "He still puts his pants on one leg at a time." Funny, but true! People are just people. We are all equal in God's sight. By reaching out and helping someone who is poor I can show honor to my Lord. Doing this I follow in the footsteps of Jesus because he was of the humble folk and not of the rich and mighty in this world. And now He is reigning at the right hand of the Father in heaven!
Dear Lord, help me to open my eyes to my personal prejudices. Help me to see more clearly the opportunities I have to do good and help others in this world. Make we wise enough to realize that the rich and famous of this world are not to be my "heroes." Instead, give me Jesus Christ as my example and Supreme Lord. To Him be the honor and glory, not to a mere human being!
In Jesus' name I ask it, Amen.
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