TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? James 2:4
Listen: James 2
TODAY’S MESSAGE
James doesn’t mince his words when writing about favoritism. When he hears the people are judging based on the outside (wealth), he calls what they are doing “evil thoughts.” He doesn’t want the church to be a place where people are judged by what society says is important. He wants Christians to value others based on what God says is important.
The early Christian communities were unique. The church had people from all economic, social and ethnic groups. This type of organization didn’t exist in their culture before the church.
Just like the first-century church, we still struggle to value people the way God does. Society tells us people are important because of how much money they make, the color of their skin, what kind of clothes they wear, the car they drive, where they live, what types of things they can talk intelligently about, the hobbies they pursue, their political leanings, where they went to school or what graduate degree they’ve earned.
None of those things are bad—but they aren’t how we should value people. Value doesn’t come from something external. God isn’t up in heaven talking about how much he loves us because of our new haircut or how well we dab or floss.
IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY
Ask God to help you see the people you are judging based on externals. Spend a few minutes in silence letting him bring to mind certain people or groups. Then, ask him to give you an opportunity to take a step to value them as God values them.
Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.
