James 2:1-4

This week’s challenge:

Don’t show favoritism….instead show mercy!

Let's take time this week to evaluate our lives. Are we showing favoritism to anyone or any group of people? Do we realize that showing favoritism is a sin? This week ask God to open your eyes and help you identify those you may be showing favoritism to. Ask God to change your heart, making your heart more like His and helping you to love all people regardless of what they have or don’t have, what they look like, their education level, religion, their background, etc. Ask Him to help you love your neighbors as yourself and to show mercy to others just as He has shown mercy to us.

When I finished reading verses 2-4 this morning, I felt like I could replace the word "meeting" (which can be understood for us as a church service) with "workplace". I know I've shared with you before my struggles at work, and again I find more Scripture applying for me in that way! Especially as a waitress, when I depend on who walks through the door for much of my income, it can be a difficulty to treat each customer fairly, if not in action, even moreso in my heart thoughts. When a customer walks through the door wearing "shabby clothes" or who, for example, has a scruffy appearance and an unpleasant smell, it is very easy to write that person off, to not work as hard for that person, to not give them much attention, because after all, they most likely won't leave a tip, right?
On the other hand, a beautiful, richly-dressed, flowery-scented couple comes in to eat and I know I bend over backwards to make everything perfect, because I know they'll do something for me in return, perhaps leave me over $5 when all is said and done! haha
It's outrageous how I act when money, beauty, wealth, importance, or confidence is involved. When the possibility of being complimented by a hefty tip comes around, boy do I give it my every thought and attention. It doesn't need to be a tip as a waitress that condemns me. It is anything I figure someone can do for me that prompts me to love or serve them more than another.
We are so ingrained to measure others by an earthly standard, to judge them without even thinking! - by appearances only. Before we know it, the judgement it made, and we are convicted of sinning against the 8th Commandment, and we stand condemned before our Lord, who uses no such measuring stick, who separates no man from another.

"For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God..."  (Romans 3:23) Wearing the newest clothes or having the most cash...looking and acting the nicest does not bring us closer to the glory of God. Neither does having and looking like close to nothing - poor, ugly, or sick - take one further from the glory of God than the former. We are all on the same plane to God. We are sinful human beings in need of a Savior.

Realizing the weight of this in my dealings with strangers, with customers...I long for the eyes of Jesus all the more. I confess that my eyes and heart are terribly faulty in being convinced I know how to accurately judge another, in ANY way, but especially by appearances!

I pray that God would change my heart into less of a selfish one, that I would realize, in the case of my work,  that money is so unimportant compared to the possibility of being a witness of Jesus' love to someone seemingly "unfit" for attention. Is a mere dollar or two really worth that much to me to pass over, myself all puffed up, one that needs my love and service all the more?

My goodness, studying James a few verses at a time in such depth really exposes all the cracks in my faith-life. It's easy to think I'm being a Christian and all, and so easy to pass over the "little sins" that speckle my days. But no, God sees the best thing to be urging us all forward in sanctification. It is not good to stay where we are, girls, he wants us to move forward in our understanding of him, to keep growing.
I'm thankful for this. It's a discomfort to realize these things but a glorious reality when I know Christ's grace and sufficiency is enough for me in my weaknesses of learning and growing.

Praying for you all as God reveals to each of you what he wants you to know - and as we work on this week's challenge! :)
Love in Him,
~Cait