James Ch 2 - Favoritism and Faith

Verses 1-4 talk about not showing favoritism among believers. I know I am guilty of that, and that is one of the reasons God has me reading these very words. In the Message, verse 4 says "haven't you segregated God's children" instead of "discriminated among yourselves" in the NIV. The wording in the Message hits me much harder. I may discriminate among many different things in life to choose the "finer" or better for me. But the word segregate has a much harsher connotation with it, and those are GOD'S CHILDREN that I am segregating into nice neat piles. Please forgive me, Lord.

Verses 8-11 continue with the picking and choosing, yet now it is among our sins. You know, the big ones versus the little ones. The little white lies versus the big black ones. I've done this, but I've never done THAT for heaven's sake! The Message says "You can't pick and choose in these things, specializing in keeping one or two things in God's law and ignoring others." The NIV "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it". I know we are sinners, and sin every single day, and that is why we need Jesus. These verses just drive home that it is all equal in God's sight, so we can't think of ourselves higher or better than another.

Faith and works...they go hand in hand. v 15 (Msg) "Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it?" & 17 "Isn't it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?" I think we all need a sermon on this at least once a month. I can read my Bible every day and live the best, cleanest life possible, but if I am hiding in my house and never reaching out to anyone, what good has that done God's kingdom? God doesn't NEED me, but he does use me to show others what He is all about. God promises that He will always take care of our needs, but I know He uses us to help each other with those needs.

I hope you are learning and being reminded as much from James as I am. I pray it will be deeply planted in my heart and not just be for today.