NIV: But if you show favouritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as law-breakers.

The Message: But if you play up to these so-called important people, you go against the Rule and stand convicted by it.

Those are strong words indeed, telling us that when we show favouritism, when we give preference to someone because of the way they look, how they are dressed, the job they have, the money they have in the bank, the position and fame they have, then we are committing a sin. I mean, you wouldn't necessarily think that by showing favouritism you were sinning. But what are we doing when we give someone preferential treatment? We are actually preferring them to others, so someone else is suffering because we have not treated them in the same way.

I remember when I was a child, my brother and I would count the vegetables on our plates to make sure one of us did not have more than the other. Crazy, I know, but I have seen my own children do the very same thing. Nobody likes to be treated less well than others, it implies that you are not as good, not as worthy.

So exactly what is favouritism? Well, Chambers English dictionary defines this as:

favouritism or (US) favoritism noun the practice of giving unfair preference, help or support to someone or something

Then if you look preference up in a thesaurus, the following alternative words are shown:

• Preferential treatment
• Preference
• Partiality
• Nepotism
• Bias
• Discrimination
• Prejudice

Woah! This is a real eye opener to exactly what is implied and inferred by showing favouritism. When we show favouritism, we are actually discriminating against someone else. It is not a case of just doing good to one person, but of actively choosing not to do good to someone else. It is treating someone unfairly be virtue of the fact that we are choosing someone else above them.

So, for instance, if I give one of my children only chicken breast when we have a Sunday roast, and give the others the grey meat from the leg or thigh instead, then I am preferring one child and treating the others unfairly, showing bias. If, as an accountant, I only mix with other accountants and "professionals", then I am discriminating against those who do not have professional qualifications, the letters after their name, the higher education. Yet a fancy title and letters after your name don't make you a better person. What about when I ignore the Big Issue person, when I choose not to see them or hear them? That is a form of discrimination as well.

We are told to love one another. Not to love only those who have money, or dress well, or have a good education, who talk the same way we do, like the same things, and so on.

I know I take a very simplistic viewpoint but in reality, I reckon the whole of the bible comes down to love, the great love God has for each one of us, the love Christ has for us, so much so that he died on the cross for us, the way the Holy Spirit loves us and is actively changing us from within to become more like Christ. And we are instructed to do likewise. Not always an easy thing to do when some people are always insulting you, belittling you, and then what about those Christians who are being persecuted for their faith, locked up, imprisoned, raped, murdered? They too are called to love those who persecute them.

This is challenging. I am sure we can all think of people we would rather not have anything to do with, the ones we would cross the road to avoid. But those are the very people we are called to love. God loves every one of us, and we are to love others as God has loved us. I know I fail miserably at this, just as I fail miserably on many other things. So it is a case of leaning on God, asking Him for help me love those I would rather not be on a desert island with. And I know God will not fail, that even though it may take a month of Sundays in my case, He will be changing me from within, making me more Christ like (and He has a long way to go, believe you me!), so that one day, I will truly be able to say that I love all men and treat them equally, just as God treats each one of us equally.

James 2:8

NIV: If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, Love your neighbour as yourself, you are doing right

The Message: You do well when you complete the Royal Rule of the Scriptures: "Love others as you love yourself."

If we are really trying to obey Jesus, to follow His teachings, be His disciples, then we will love others as we love ourselves. Didn't Jesus tell us "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. " (Matthew 7:12, NIV). Then what about Leviticus 19:18:

Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbour as yourself. I am the Lord. (NIV)

It is not a case of only loving those who love us, or only living those who show kindness towards us, or favour us. No, we are called to love all men, women and children, and to love them as we love ourselves. That means that we love the girl who picked on us when we were at school, the boy who tried to beat us up, the boss who is continually criticising, the ex wife or husband, no matter what they have done, the friend who goes and repeats to others things you have told them in confidence, the bank manager who is unwilling to lend any more money, people who are rude and objectionable, those who are continually trying to do you down, keep you under their thumb, whoever they are and whatever they have done.

I read a while ago of the parents or a murdered teenager who said they had forgiven their son's killer. It was heartbreaking, as the boy was an innocent bystander, in the wrong place at the wrong time, and here were his parents, literally hours after his death saying they forgave his killer. Could I do that? Could I have done that? I don't know as you never really do know what you would do until something like that happens, and you never want anything like that to happen anyway. But what an example to others they were and are. Living what the bible tells us.

I tell my children that if they don't like something done to them, then they shouldn't do that very same thing to others. They should treat others as they would want to be treated themselves. Just because someone has called them names (for example) is no excuse to call that person names in retaliation. It may give them an excuse to do so, but it does not make it right. The funny thing is, my daughter repeated almost exactly the very same thing to her younger brother last week, telling him not to do something because "it doesn't make it right"!!! Just when you think they never listen to a word they say, they come out and surprise you by repeating verbatim something you have previously said!

It just goes to show that others will watch what you say and do, they will note your behaviour, what you say, how you act and respond. What sort of an example do we as Christians give if we only love those who love us? If we give preferential treatment to some people, and ignore others? Jesus didn't tell us to love only those who dress smartly, have good jobs and a happy family. We were not told to be nice to others if they are nice to us but respond in kind to everyone else. We are told to behave towards others as we would wish people to behave towards us.

I sit here and think of some of the people I have known, and it is a tall order to follow. Yet Jesus did exactly that. Look at how He treated the Pharisees. Yes, he criticised them, but on the cross, He asked for forgiveness on all those who had put him there. He could have called down legions of angels to destroy every one of them, Asked God to punish them for eternity and a day in revenge for what they had done.

If Jesus can forgive others for having him tortured and killed, show them love and compassion even as he was dying, then don't you think we should show love towards others too?

James 2:6-7

NIV: But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?

The Message: Isn't it the high and mighty who exploit you, who use the courts to rob you blind? Aren't they the ones who scorn the new name—"Christian"—used in your baptisms?

This is a direct message to the church not to follow the money, not to look down on the poor and look up to the rich. After all, in James' day, and in ours too, it is the rich who exploit the poor - you only have to look at the way the west exploits the third world countries to see that, with children working all hours to make clothing, toys, trainers and all sorts. Not only that, it is the rich (who have the money) who will threaten litigation to get their money back from those who can least afford it. Presumably, James was referring to actual cases where believers had been taken to court by the rich because of some dispute yet were still favouring the rich in the community by giving them the best seat, preferential treatment and so on despite how they were treated in return. Of course, it couyld be they were trying to show Christian love, but when it is at the expense of the poor, as it presumably was here, then how can it be love?

In this letter, James is also saying that it is the rich who slander the name of Christ. After all, what need do they have for Jesus when they have all that wealth, the large house, fancy car and so on? Material possessions get in the way of having a real relationship with God, with Jesus, with the Holy Spirit. If you are always watching your stocks and shares increase/decrease in value, you are looking for the next property to buy, keeping an eye on the latest designer clothes, buying the latest make and model of BMW, then how will you have time for God? The things of this world will take up your time and God will be squeezed out.

Of course, the same could be said of the poor too inasmuch as if you are always scrabbling around trying to make ends meet, looking out for the postman to see what bad news he is brining in the post, never having enough money for decent food and clothing, then you are also focusing on the things of this world but in the opposite way from the rich. You are letting your worries and cares take over, letting your eyes and your heart move away from God onto focusing on paying the bills, making ends meet and so on.

We are all guilty of pushing God out of our lives at one time or another for all sorts of different reasons, each one of them appearing to be valid at the time. We all let the things of this world take over, our worries, our cares. But when we do this, aren't we insulting God? Effectively telling him that He can't handle our problems, can't help with our finances, our job worries, health problems, etc? The Lord God Almighty, who created heaven and earth and all that is within it can't sort out the mess we are in, heal our loved ones, resolve our financial problems, provide the discipline for our children, find work for us?

I'm not saying that God is a Mr Fixit who will magically solve all our problems, reverse the moral decline in the country, bring peace to the world, solve the famine situation in Africa and everything else that needs to be sorted. What I am saying is that God can do anything, and for Him, nothing is impossible.

We, I, need to stop focusing on the things of this world, stop giving preferential treatment to some people because of the way they dress, the house they live in, the job they have, and to set our, my sights on Jesus, To remember all that He did for us, for each one of us. Yes, bad things happen. People still get ill and die, some have financial problems, job worries, marital problems, difficult children. There are hurricanes, earthquakes, tidal waves. Even believers have bad things happen to them and sometimes this is like Job, the devil interfering, sometimes it is a time of testing, it could be spiritual warfare, or just life and being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and sometimes it is a direct result of our own actions.

God won't necessarily get us out of the mess we are in (even though He can), but he will give us the grace to endure it, the peace to come to terms with what is happening. He will be by our side every step of the way, catching our tears and putting them in a bottle , holding our hands when things get too much, giving us strength to face another day.

We need to learn to trust God, to put our faith in Him as He will never let us down. He is a God of love and mercy, full of forgiveness, slow to anger, quick to forgive, gracious, kind, ever loving, ever faithful, omnipresent, omniscient, the Father of all, the creator of the Universe and al that is within it, the designer of each and every one of us who has counted the numbers of hairs on our head. He is the Lord God Almighty, God of gods, King of Kings, Jehovah-Jirah, the Good Shepherd, Prince of Peace, Faithful and True, Counsellor, Healer. Don't you know how He can be trusted? How He will never let us down despite the times we let Him down, refuse to obey Him, go our own way, deny Him, insult Him, take His name in vain?

Try talking to God today. Listen for His voice, hear what He has to say to you. Open your eyes, your heart, your mind to God and put Him first instead of the things of this world. Don't be swayed by public opinion, by political correctness, but make a stand and trust in God. Cast all your cares and worries on Jesus, and leave them in His hands. Make today the day when you start to really trust God, to get to know Him. I'm going to do that, put Him first in my life, not second, third, or even further down my to do list. I'm not saying I will always succeed, because being totally honest about this, real life sucks at times and has a habit of interfering with the best laid plans and intentions. But a life without God is worthless and empty, and I don't want a life like that.

So what about you? Are you going to trust in God? Cast all your cares and worries on Him, let Him carry the burden, have a real relationship with Him instead of a panicked prayer or two every once in a while when things get too much? Or are you going to carry on regardless, having fun, leading your life without regard to anyone other than yourself? Kow towing to those whom you think will get you that promotion, that new job, give you preferential treatment? Turning your back on God, rejecting Jesus, ignoring the evidence of God that is all around us?

It’s your choice.

James 2:5

NIV: Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?

The Message: Listen, dear friends. Isn't it clear by now that God operates quite differently? He chose the world's down-and-out as the kingdom's first citizens, with full rights and privileges. This kingdom is promised to anyone who loves God.

Remember those words of Jesus in the sermon on the mount?

Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God (Luke 6:20)

Have you ever wondered why those who have very little are more likely to have a strong faith than someone who has everything they could desire? I think when we set our hearts on the things of this world, when we let our natural desire for a good job, nice house, well behaved children, money in the bank and so on, take over, we end up pushing God out of our lives. We let the busyness of life take control, allow the prince of this world have his way and sidetrack us, draw us away from God.

It is so easy to make promises to yourself that you will get up early, you will have a quiet time, spend time in prayer, reading your bible but then the alarm goes off when you have had a late night the night before. You put it on for another 5 minutes, then another 5, then another and then suddenly, there is no time left and you are rushing around trying to get ready for work and everything else. Or what about those times when you do get up early, you sit down to spend some time in prayer and bible study and you remember you are waiting for that email from so and so, or you just have to check on this, or do that and before you know it, your allotted time has gone and you need to get ready for the day ahead.

And as for having a quiet time in the evening, well, I don't know about you, but I know I for one am always so tired. Maybe during the day? But then you are supposed to be working, there are the children to look after, the school run, college, lectures, and a million and one other things that need doing….

It’s not just the busyness of life that takes over but it is also the way we try and do things ourselves. Yes, it is good to be independent, self sufficient, but it is not a sign of weakness to ask for help from God and God should not be the last resort when all else has failed. He should be the one we turn to first, the one we go to no matter what the time of day or night, or what the reason.

When we can cope on our own, when we have no problems, when there is money in the bank, we have a job, our family around us, when everything in the garden is rosy, we have no need for God, no need to ask for his help, his guidance. We don't even need to bother spending time with him, because after all, we have everything we need. But when times are hard, when we have no work, no money, the children are in trouble, there is illness and death in the family, well, then of course we need God, and isn't He always there to help us out? Our own personal Mr Fixit?

We seem to have here on the west a very fickle faith which is there as and when it suits us, because the material things of this world get in the way. Or rather, we allow the material things of this world to get in the way. Making money, getting a job and so on take priority over God. Our need and desire for the riches of this world, to keep up with the neighbours, to look good, make an impression, blind us to the fact that we are spiritually poor.

Look at Revelation 3 and the words spoken to the church in Laodicea (Rev 3:14-22). That church had money, fine clothes, and were famous for making an eye salve, yet they were told to buy gold from Jesus, get white clothes from him and an eye salve to put on their eyes so they could really see. What they had was worthless as they did not have Jesus in their lives, which is what really matters. He accused them of being neither hot (on fire for Jesus) or cold (not believers) but luke warm, neither one thing nor the other.

I don't know about you, but the thought of Jesus telling me I am luke warm and that I make him want to vomit does not fill me with happiness and joy. Quite the opposite. I don't want to be a luke warm Christian, one to whom Sunday morning in church is the only time I give to God, and the rest of the time the world takes over. Don't want to be one of the ones that Jesus says he has never known them, even though they prophesied in his name, did good works in his name. I don't want to be an outwardly professing Christian but inwardly be taken up with work, getting accounts and tax returns done, paying bills, making ends meet, running the family, doing all those things that fill my time each day.

I want a real and vibrant relationship with Jesus. I want to get up there to heaven and have Jesus say "Well done thou good and faithful servant", to be one of the ones who didn't get to heaven by the skin of my teeth (as one escaping a fire) but one who is even now building up treasures there. But in reality, if I carry on the same way, keeping busy each and every day, never spending time with God, with God and I being people who just pass in the street and say "hello" without any real contact, is that likely?

God is calling each one of us to Him. Have you not heard God whisper in your ear today? Ask you to spend time with Him? Heard his voice calling you to you? HE is calling each and every one of us. Don't you think it is about time we began to listen?

James 2:2-4

NIV: Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby 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?

The Message: If a man enters your church wearing an expensive suit, and a street person wearing rags comes in right after him, and you say to the man in the suit, "Sit here, sir; this is the best seat in the house!" and either ignore the street person or say, "Better sit here in the back row," haven't you segregated God's children and proved that you are judges who can't be trusted?

Here James gives a an example of what he means when he says we should not show favouritism, or let the opinion of others affect how we behave.

How many times a day do we consciously or subconsciously judge others, let public opinion sway what we say? I know when I am in a group of people who are all loud spoken with firm opinions, I am far more likely to sit back and say nothing whether I agree with them or not. And what about the times I pass people in the street or l meet people and make a snap judgment based on what they are wearing or how they look? One of my clients looks like a biker, he has tattoos all over his arms, is strong and muscular looking, and the first time I met him I was really unsure of him. But in actual fact, he is the sweetest guy you could ever meet, so shy, insecure and full of love for his family. How appearances can be deceptive as he looks like one big tough individual.

Then in this particular example, James is talking about judging people in church, judging Christians and how many times do we do that too? Look at someone else and what they are doing or saying, and tell ourselves that they can’t be a "real" Christian if they do that or say that, how they be a genuine believer if they criticise others and yet do exactly the same thing, or worse, themselves without comment? I reckon that when I do those I should start taking a good look at myself as I am sure I must do some pretty awful things that would make people begin to doubt my faith. It is so easy to doubt others, to point the finger or to judge by outward appearance or show.

We are called to love one another as Jesus loves us, yet how often do we do this? Show real, genuine, Christian love? The love that God has for each one of us even though He knows us inside out, warts and all, right through to the deep dark places inside our hearts where even we don't go because of the mean and nasty things hidden in there.

We shouldn't favour one man above another because of their outward appearance, the things they say, the show they put on to make themselves look good (and let's face it, don't we all put on a show to a certain extent?). Man looks at the outside but God looks at the inside. He knows each of us from head to toe, inside out and back to front. He knows the reasons why we do the things we do, say the things we do, act in that way. He has all the facts and figures at his fingertips and can make an accurate judgement. Can we say the same of ourselves?

After all, we don't know why some people are poor and others rich, some are employed, others aren't, some are the life and soul of the party, others are shy and sit in a corner, some seem really hard, unfeeling, uncaring, others openly break their hearts at what is happening around them or in the world. But the cynical banker may turn out to give generously to charity, pray without ceasing, be a real blessing, unbeknownst, to many. The one who cries when they hear of the latest disaster, the floods, the earthquakes, may actually be a miser who never gives any money to charity or helps others but hoards it all away like a squirrel hording nuts. The woman who always seems so cheerful with not a care in the world could have a son who is a drug user, a husband who is continually having affairs and who doesn't know from one minute to the next where the money is going to come from to pay all the bills. And the one who seems like the most eloquent and faithful prayer warrior may in actual fact be someone who is only hanging onto their faith by their fingertips and it is all for show to make themselves look and sound "holier than thou".

I'm probably coming over all holier than thou myself right now, but so often, I make snap judgements about people I know, those I meet, the ones I pass in the street. And it’s not right to do this. I know that. I don't know people's circumstances, their motives, their reasoning, only God knows that. So I know I need to stop being so judgemental, so petty minded, and to just leave it all up to God, take at face value what people say, what they do, and not judge them, not criticise them for doing probably what I would do if I were in their position or had been through whatever it is they are going/have been through.

And what about you? Do you pass judgement on others, even unwittingly? Treat some people differently because of the way they dress, where they live, their accents, whether they look like "respectable" people? Do you criticise others when they gossip, when the break one of the Ten Commandments, commit adultery, lie, cheat, look down on others, hold grudges?

I think we could all learn a thing or two from Jesus' reaction to the woman caught in adultery "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." (John 8:7)

James 2:1

NIV: My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favouritism.

The Message: My dear friends, don't let public opinion influence how you live out our glorious, Christ-originated faith.

How often do we look at someone and make a snap judgement based on what they are wearing, how they are behaving, what they are saying? It is so easily done and I know I have to stop myself from doing this time and time again.

You can't tell just be looking at someone what they are going through in life, whether they are rich or poor (although yes, when my daughter and I went in Harrods we were pretty sure that some of the people there were wearing designer clothes and were not just tourists like us!), whether they are having a hard or an easy life. Even if you can tell whether someone is rich and famous, or poor and insignificant, we are told here not to have favourites, not to let the opinion of others affect the way we behave towards people.

Specifically, in the Message, it says we shouldn't let public opinion influence how we live our lives. So we shouldn't let what others think and say influence how we behave. If all our friends are sleeping around and taking drugs, we should not be doing the same. If all out friends are always gossiping and scoffing, making fun of everyone, then we should not be doing the same. If all our friends are criticising some people, not giving them the benefit of the doubt and wanting nothing to do with them, we should not do the same. If public opinion is such that the government is always being criticised, if famous people are being talked about (usually in a negative way), if public opinion favours certain people in favour of others, if some people are looked down upon by the community as a whole (illegal immigrants, asylum seekers, people of a different race or religion and so on), then we should not do the same.

It is easy to want to fit in, to go along with everyone else and not make waves, to be part of the crowd. But Jesus did not ask us to be part of the crowd. He asked us to go and tell the good news to all men, and sometimes, often in fact, that involves making a stand, actually standing up for what we believe in and saying someone or something is not right. It is not easy to go against public opinion, to stand up and say, for instance, that homosexuality is a sin, to say there is only one way to God, to admit you are a Christian. Just look at what happens when the church does that - we are accused of being bigoted, prejudiced. So instead, what has the church done here in the west? It has compromised, it has accepted the pull of political correctness and has allowed gay bishops, is seeking to not make waves, to blend in and give offence to no man.

But if we are Christians, how can we do that and stay true to biblical principals? The two are incompatible as there is only one way to God, Jesus Christ, and some people will take offence at this no matter how we say it.

So I believe that the way to live our lives is as Christ would have us live them, which means not showing favouritism and also not bending over backwards to agree with everyone. Sometimes we have to make a stand, say what we believe no matter how many people disagree with us. But we need to do this in a loving manner, in a way that does not ram our own opinions down everyone else's throat, make fun of their beliefs or criticise their way of life. Not always easy given the way many people feel these days.

We have such a need for grace this day and age, the grace of God in our lives and there is such a need for prayer in this country and many others in the west, where religion, mainly Christianity, is sidelined and marginalised.

So how do you go about showing Christ in your life? Do you end up favouring some people above others because of where they live, how they dress, the job they have? Do you stay quiet when you should speak out, agreeing with whatever is being said, no matter how contrary it is to your own personal beliefs? I know my family keep a really close eye on me and are notorious for watching me slip up and do something I shouldn't, then calling me on it! If you are known to be a Christian, people will watch you to see if you behave the way they perceive a Christian should, and if no one knows you are a Christian, why is that?

James 1:27

NIV: Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

The Message: Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world.

This is all about being in the world but not of the world. It’s about taking a stand, sticking to our principles, staying true to the teachings of the bible. Have you noticed how many in the church today are compromising on bible teaching? How things that are forbidden as sins are condoned, even encouraged at times? It is not just a case of hate the sin but love the sinner any more, but it is one of love the sinner and love the sin also.

For instance, it says in the bible that homosexuality is wrong, it is a sin (Lev 18:22), just as adultery, lying, cheating, gossiping, pride, anger, lust, gluttony and so on are sins. Yet we now have practising gay bishops in the Anglican church. How can that be right? Of course, I may be completely misinterpreting scripture here, and I am sure someone will put me right if I am, but surely this is a compromise, a case of adapting to the world and not abiding by God's word?

What about the times when we each individually stay quiet, refrain from speaking when we should take a stand and speak out, give the Christian viewpoint? I know I will stay quiet when my Dad starts to rant on about the church, about people believing in the Holy Spirit, about how mistaken and misguided so called believers are. I know I tell myself it is because he is impossible to talk to when he gets like that, he is so adamant, so hidebound, so fixated in his views, but in reality, is it because I do not want a confrontation and just take the easy route of staying quiet?

We need to stay firm in our beliefs, to be students of the bible, read and study God's word so that we are not taken in by false teachers, false prophets. How can we spot a wolf in sheep's clothing if we do not know what a wolf looks like, what a sheep looks like? It is a case of testing everything with the bible , using that as our guide, our plumb line, the basis for all that we believe. How else can we stop ourselves from being polluted by the world, from compromising, from watering down the gospel so as not to give offence to anyone?

Then we also have to put into action what we learn from the bible, not just read about it and file it away in the "to do" list. We need to show we are Christians through our actions, our speech, our lifestyle, the way we live our lives. We need to care for others, give to charity, look after the widows and orphans, and not just be Christians on the outside, where it is all show, a pretence and does not really touch our hearts.

On the day of judgement, when we all stand before God, how will our lives measure up to His standards? Will our lives reflect the love of God, Christ at work in our lives, or will they merely be a reflection of the world and all the enemy has made it ?