Don't Look Down

Conviction comes with a lot of admitting. Because God has convicted me of a pretty prevalent sin in my life, I have a lot of owning up to do. It hurts. It's embarrassing. It's humbling. And it's exactly what I will be doing over the next several posts. 

It all started with a sermon on partiality. In James 2, the author warns us against making distinctions among ourselves. The pastor illustrated his point by presenting portraits of well known Americans and asking the church to rank them on a scale of good to bad. With every face he held up he asked, "should this celebrity be at the front of the red carpet or toward the back?" The church then based their decision on the person's past actions, current deeds, appearance, opinions, religion, and political standpoint. 

Like the church did that Sunday morning, I personally make distinctions among others based on their looks, personality, and status every single day. While I am at it, I mine as well admit that my distinctions determine how I speak to them or even if I speak to them. Ouch. That one hurt. I am drawn to people who look like me, act like me, think like me, and talk like me. This sin struggle has weighed heavy on my heart this past month. I am guilty and humiliated. How dare I, a sinner who makes mistakes, who has bad hair days, who feels inadequate, and who knows what it is like to feel judged, look down on those who are not like me? How dare I assume others are less than me based solely on my own faulty, fabricated standards? This is pride magnified. 

Praise Jesus for setting an example of humility. Praise Jesus for serving the poor, the sinful, the sick, and the outcast. Praise Jesus for dying so that the Holy Spirit can help us battle this sin and produce in us what we cannot produce in ourselves. If we are going to be useful women of God, we must fight against partiality. 

When we play favorites, we act like a judge with evil thoughts and intentions. When we play favorites, we violate the glory of Christ. When we play favorites, we dishonor the poor, the homely, and the unwanted...people Jesus died for. 

My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called? James 2:1-7 

So what do we do? How do we overcome the sin of partiality? Stay tuned for a brief overview and application of ways we can making distinctions among ourselves. 

To start us off, here are 2 ways we can keep from looking down on our neighbor:

♥︎ Speak and act as one who will be judged. 

♥︎ Show mercy. Ask yourself "why?" Why am I thinking this way about this person? 

Remember: Mercy triumphs over judgment.

☎︎

The Girl Next Door