No Partiality - Daily Devotional December 8th, 2009

Bible Reading Plan - Job 10, Micah 6, James 2

No Partiality

Partiality which is a favorable bias or prejudice is something we all deal with whether we want to admit it or not. When someone walks by we immediately assess them a certain way and then label them as such. As a pastor and someone who has grown up in the church I have seen partiality first hand and it's effects.

The problem of partiality in the church is not something new, James actually warns the believers in James 2:1-7 not to be partial with one another. Our reasons for being partial usually have nothing to do with that person but rather how it effects ME. Such is the case here in James. There is a problem with the church honoring those who have money by giving them positions in the church while the ones who are less fortunate are not given such honor. It is seen similarly in the church today as leaders and parishioners alike seem to spend more time with those who are well off rather than those who are less fortunate. We will gladly minister to those in need but to give them the ability to serve in the church is often times another case.

All of this gets back to the question of why? The answer I fear is still the same. It is because it has more to do with us then them. When we spend more time with wealthy people is it because of what they might give to us or how it makes us look? Or do we spend the same amount of time with both those who have and those who lack because we genuinely love and care about people? As a pastor I have to wonder what the true motive and heart is when I see another leader only spending time with those who have money. As a leader in the church our main heart has to be for people and not ourselves.

This is not just something for pastors to be aware of but for all Christians. James 2:4 says if you are partial, "have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?" If we are being partial the Bible is very clear, we have evil motives.

Today as you read through James take a moment and evaluate who you hang out with and why. Take a moment to allow God to look at your heart and make sure there is nothing evil in there. After all, there is no partiality in God according to Romans 2:11, therefore if we are in God we should not be partial either.

Tomorrows Bible Reading - Job 11, Micah 7, James 3-4

Dream Big
Ben