Class Lesson September 15, 2013

Hey Gang,




Last week we began a series called "Pressure Points." The entire series is from the Book of James. James wrote to Christians who, like us, faced the pressures of temptation. He outlined the truth about temptation and showed how to handle it. In last week’s lesson we studied about trials, but temptations are different. 





Here are our six lessons in this series:

1. The Pressure of Trials - James 1:1-4
2. The Pressure of Temptation - James 1:13-18
3. The Pressure of Partiality - James 2:1-13
4. The Pressure of Words - James 3:1-18
5. The Pressure of Conflict - James 4:1-10
6. The Pressure of Retaliation - James 5:1-11

What do you think?

A church made national news recently when they made a couple find a new place to get married on the day before their wedding. What was the reason? They were the wrong race. There were a few in the church that pressured the pastor. He could do the wedding in their church building and get fired, or he could move the wedding and keep his job. The pastor caved in.

Rafe Hollister Sings - The Andy Griffith Show 

Click Here to Watch 

It’s only natural that we gravitate to people who are like us. It’s easier to interact with people with whom we share a common interest or background. The problem arises when that drives us to show preferential treatment. Playing favorites, though, is not limited to those who are “just like us.” We can also show preferential treatment to those who can benefit us socially, politically, or financially.

Discrimination has no place in church or anywhere in our lives. Why? The ground at the foot of the cross is level. God makes no distinction between Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female, rich and poor, one race and another race, Democrat or Republican. God plays no favorites and neither should we.


 
 

The Point

God does not play favorites and neither should I. 

Christians in the early church also felt pressure to give preferential treatment to certain folks based on their economic standing.

• In many cases, there are laws that discourage employers, landlords, and agencies from openly disqualifying applicants according to race, age, ethnicity, and other criteria. A landlord cannot reject a black applicant's application for an apartment based strictly on his or her race, for example, nor can an employer deny an interview to a 55 year old applicant based on his or her age. That would be considered illegal discriminatory behavior. There are no such laws against a practice known as preferential treatment, however, wherein a person receives a benefit because he or she fits the criteria.
• Some sources use the controversial practice called affirmative action. Originally designed to counter discriminatory hiring practices, affirmative action programs may actually force employers to hire or promote employees based solely on race. In order to achieve the proper ratio of Caucasian and minority employees, some companies may have to show a preference towards minority applicants. Lawsuits involving charges of ageism or gender bias may also result in some preferential treatment towards applicants who fit that criteria. 

I. AN ADMONITION – JAMES 2:1-4

The Sin of Favoritism

2 My brothers, do not show favoritism as you hold on to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. 2 For example, a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and a poor man dressed in dirty clothes also comes in. 3 If you look with favor on the man wearing the fine clothes and say, “Sit here in a good place,” and yet you say to the poor man, “Stand over there,” or, “Sit here on the floor by my footstool,” 4 haven’t you discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?


What does it mean to show favoritism?

• The practice of giving unfair preferential treatment to one person or group at the expense of another. Partiality is another word for this. Partiality toward one group over another was an issue James addressed in his first-century letter. Apparently, some believers were showing respect of persons in their relationships with others. The phrase literally means “to receive a person’s face” or “to receive a person on the basis of face.”
• Key Word: Favoritism – This literally means receiving or lifting the face. Ancient subjects would prostrate themselves to seek a ruler’s favor. If he lifted their faces, they would be heard. The word came to mean showing favor on improper grounds often social or political.
• Acceptance or rejection was based on externals – the person’s appearance.

How did the external appearance of two visitors to a meeting affect the way they were treated?

• One man wearing fine clothing while another is in dirty clothes. We are to avoid making judgments about people only on the basis of appearance.

What kinds of experiences affect who we want to be around?

• When we show favoritism for one person over another we are making ourselves judges over them.
• Favoritism says more about us than about the people toward whom we show favoritism. Verses 5-7 show us what impartiality tells us about God’s heart.

How does James challenge this practice of favoritism?

• Refusing favoritism means more than just welcoming people with a handshake.
• Showing favoritism is incompatible and inconsistent with the claim to have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The New Revised Standard Version renders this verse as a question: “Do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ?
• James instructed his readers to reject the practice of showing favoritism. By giving preferential treatment to the wealthy, believers were dishonoring the poor. James wrote that God honors the poor who love Him, and he offered Old Testament proof that to show favoritism based on wealth or status is sin.

How do we deal with favoritism at work?

1. Figure out if you're really a victim. If you feel that you are the overlooked employee, first of all have a good conversation with yourself to make sure that you are not unnecessarily playing the victim. If the person being favored does truly perform better than you do, then realize it and ramp up your performance to being equal or better than the performance of those you feel are being favored.
2. Speak up, but do it diplomatically. Don’t ambush your superior, no matter how long your tenure or relationship. Think it through, and script it to yourself privately first if need be. You want to be clear, calm and concise. You need to be judicious about confronting the favoring superior with your suspicions. To accuse, or mention that others in the office are feeling that he or she is playing favorites with that one person, only makes you look bad, and creates a defensiveness by your superior. It can really backfire. It is better to not discuss the favoritism, but to ask for opportunities, and offer to help, instead.
3. Continue working hard. Be professional and do your part to show you care about the team, company, and clients. Never allow unhealthy favoritism to affect the professional you are.
4. Try and understand the reason for the special attention. Is it a friendship or other relationship? Is it because of a history or common experience together? Is it simply a matter of habit or trust? Knowing this may help you determine whether it is fair or unfair favoritism.
5. Don't be angry with the favored employee. It’s usually not the employee’s fault that he or she receives special treatment—so don’t blame them or treat them poorly. As difficult as it might be, maintain a normal professional relationship with the favored worker.
6. Stay positive. In any situation where you suspect favoritism, remain positive and proactive. Allowing it to affect your performance or morale only creates a downward spiral. Talking about it with co-workers only makes you look bad; even though it may feel good at the time you’re doing it.
7. Be patient. If the favorite is truly undeserving, be patient; upward management will eventually realize that it is in their own best interest to look around for a new go-to person. Make sure you’re on top of your game when that time comes.

How do we deal with favoritism with our children?

• Favoritism among children is often practiced by parents in their family lives. Some might argue "I prefer this child because he is respectful and obedient" or "I favor this child because he expresses his feelings to me and is very sentimental towards me" another might argue that "I favor this child because he is fun and I cannot stop smiling when I am around him" or "I prefer boys over girls because they will grow up to be men and support me" in addition to other arguments.
• At times, parents find difficulty admitting that they indeed practice favoritism; they state that it is the child who makes an effort to be his parent's favorite through his uniqueness; thus it is only natural that the parent will act uniquely towards that particular child. However, if we were to know the consequences of practicing favoritism and the negative effects it can bear; like jealousy, aggression, rage and vengefulness, we might reevaluate our practices and be more conscious of our actions to lessen the adverse effects on our children.
• Most of us wish to see our children unique by beautiful characteristics, as their distinctiveness warms our hearts. However, differences will always be present. As distinct and as unique as some of them may be; it is our role as parents to be aware of what we do, and refrain from acting in a way that suggests that we favor one over the other, whether financially through making more purchases to a specific child, or through practicing different standards in rewarding and punishing, such as increasing punishment on one child and letting the other go with a slap on the wrist.
• We should avoid such practice even in our hearts as they will be able to pick up on it from our behavior, so as to not let our children miss the feeling of importance or sense rejection.
• Research has shown that adult children who felt less favored as a child were more prone to mental health issues, such as depression in later years. These children perceived (real or imagined) that they were less favored by their mother's parenting preference while growing up. Furthermore and surprisingly, the 'favored' child also exhibited the negative effects of favoritism. The favored children harbored the guilt feelings from the favoritism. They also showed more stress in the relationships with the unfavored children. The lingering emotional damage of favoritism affects both the favored child and the unfavored child.
• It should be noted that treating each child equal while parenting may not always appear fair to the children. It is impossible to treat each child equal as it may interfere with their unique needs. For example, a bedtime for an older child may be later than it is for the younger child. While the younger child may accuse the parent(s) of being 'unfair,' this parenting style of discipline is acceptable and rational which falls within the concept of 'according to the personal needs' of each individual child. Children are all different and each one has a different inborn personality. One child may need more attention than another while the other child is content with less attention. It is not advised to hold back giving attention to the child who needs it more to be fair to the other children.
• Finally, some children may appear to be 'trouble-makers' which can make it hard to create an emotional bond with them. But just like adult individuals, each child is unique and needs affection, even the trouble-makers. Remember, every child is deserving of fair and just treatment according to their needs.

 

II. THE MODEL – JAMES 2:5-7
5 Listen, my dear brothers: Didn’t God choose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that He has promised to those who love Him? 6 Yet you dishonored that poor man. Don’t the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? 7 Don’t they blaspheme the noble name that was pronounced over you at your baptism?





James begins by saying “Listen” and he follows with three reasons why showing favoritism toward the rich and disregarding the poor is evil. The reasons are posed as questions.

Why is the heart of God so close to those who are poor?

• James says God actually chose the poor of this world to be rich in things that matter. Christianity has always had a special place for the poor (Luke 4:18; 1 Cor. 1:26). In James 1:26-27, James says true religion expresses God’s heart. It looks after widows and orphans – the poorest of the poor. The Bible is not condemning people who work hard and earn good money.
• The problem was not money, but how people in the church treated people with money. The church was making rich people feel welcomed and poor people feel shunned. This dishonors the poor person who is also resourceful and who is also made in the image of God.
• Another problem was the way some rich people were behaving. Deferring to the rich may not end up well for you. The rich are not always as pure as the wind-driven snow. James says these rich people were guilty of oppressing the Christians. James says these rich people were guilty of dragging Christians into court. James says that these rich people were guilty of blasphemy of Jesus.
• Deuteronomy 10:18 He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.
• Deuteronomy 15:7-8 If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs.
• 1 Samuel 2:7-8 The LORD sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor.
• Psalm 82:3-4 Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
• Proverbs 19:17 He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done.
• Proverbs 22:9 A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.
• Proverbs 28:27 He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses. 

What do you think?

Several years ago the governor of Kentucky wanted to attend a particular church on a Sunday morning. He had his people call the church to let them know he would attend and asked where the governor should park and sit. To their credit, this church informed the governor that he was free to park wherever he wanted to and sit anywhere there was an open seat, but nothing would be reserved.

Was this church being disrespectful or impartial?

• You may say that was disrespectful, but they believed it was being impartial.

• When we show partiality, we miss the heart of God. 

 

“Prejudice is a great time saver. You can form opinions without having to get the facts.”

-E.B. White

1. We are to avoid acting in ways that become divisive to the congregation.

2. In Christ, even the poorest can be rich in faith.

3. We become heirs of God’s kingdom by His choosing and giving us faith, not by our standing before others.

III. THE EXPECTATION AND THE JUDGMENT – JAMES 2:8-13
8 Indeed, if you keep the royal law prescribed in the Scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well. 9 But if you show favoritism, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the entire law, yet fails in one point, is guilty of breaking it all. 11 For He who said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not murder. So if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you are a lawbreaker. 12 Speak and act as those who will be judged by the law of freedom. 13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who hasn’t shown mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.




James says that instead of evaluating people according to worldly standards such as wealth or appearance, we as followers of Christ should keep the royal law.

What is the royal law?

• James only cites one admonition of the Old Testament: Love your neighbor as yourself. Some think James used this single verse to represent the last six of the Ten Commandments, which focus on relationships with one another. Jesus took this approach when He was questioned about the greatest commandment. Love God and others – in both cases love is at the heart.
• James clearly wanted his readers to understand the seriousness of disobeying the royal law of love through showing favoritism or acting from an attitude of partiality. He says – you commit sin! Partiality that leads to rejection of an individual or a people is sin in the sight of God.
• Attitudes among Christians are to be shaped by the royal law revealed in Christ and founded on love.

What does James say you do when you show favoritism?

• You Sin! We tend to minimize favoritism or harbor racism as if it’s not so bad. At least we aren’t murderers, we claim. But God doesn’t grade on a curve. He doesn’t say the “good sinners” will be OK. Sin is sin and the wages of sin is death, whether you commit recognized sins or socially acceptable ones (Rom. 6:23).
• The Bible is clear that favoritism is not God’s will for our lives. First, favoritism is incongruent with God’s character: “God does not show favoritism” (Romans 2:11). All are equal before Him. Ephesians 6:9 says, “There is no favoritism with him.” Colossians 3:25 teaches God’s fairness in judgment: “Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.”

How about you? When these things happen going forward – what will you do? 

 

FAVOR A DIFFERENT APPROACH

When in a conversation I hear a phrase like “those people” or “they’re not like me,” I will …



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When ridiculing jokes are told, I will …



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When I see someone treating another person as expendable, I will …



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Why is it wrong to show favoritism to the wealthy?

1. It is inconsistent with Christ's teachings.
2. It results from evil thoughts.
3. It insults people made in God's image.
4. It is a by-product of selfish motives.
5. It goes against the Biblical definition of love.
6. It shows a lack of mercy to those less fortunate.
7. It is hypocritical.
8. It is sin.

The Lord expects that what we say will be supported by what we do according to the freedom we have in the gospel of Jesus Christ. So here’s the deal. If you treat people without mercy, you will be judged by that same standard. But if you show mercy, God will turn that mercy back to you. You reap what you sow.


This lesson is one that gets close to us. Most all of us are guilty of showing favoritism toward certain people at the cost of rejecting others. How sad it would be if we denied people our witness to Christ only on the basis of their appearance and outward conditions!



If you have caved to the pressure of favoritism – make it right by God’s love:

1. Check your attitude. When you treat someone with partiality, check the attitude of your heart. Confess it to God.
2. Demonstrate God’s love in action. Deliberately say a kind word, welcome someone to your table, or build someone up. Go out of your way to care.
3. Build a friendship. Spend time with someone you wouldn’t typically relate to.

The pastor of the church who moved the wedding regretted his decision. He worked to make it right. No matter what happens around you, refuse to play favorites. Value what God values and love indiscriminately.

Prayer of Commitment

Lord, I am guilty. Forgive me in mercy and so instill within me an attitude of mercy toward others, even people I don’t like. Amen.

See you on Sunday!

In His Love,

David & Susan