Contemplative Bible Reading

James 2:1-4 (New Living Translation)

My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?

² For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes. ³ If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, “You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor”—well, ⁴ doesn’t this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives?

James is writing to condemn favoritism. He provides his audience with an example of showing favorites. The example is about a rich person and a poor person.

The example tells us what was valued by the readers – riches. Consider today, the year 2012, and an audience of people in their 20s. I wouldn’t write

suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in a three-piece suit, and another comes in who is dressed in jeans

That doesn’t speak to people in their 20s. If anything, it is backwards.

The writing of James tells us that his readers valued riches. That is why James pokes them with this example of favoring a rich person over a poor person.

What example would James use for me and my friends to poke us in the eye about favoritism?