Being a People of Mercy

years ago i ventured out with several pastors and we walked the beach where many had been camped out with their families after losing their housing. I wanted to know how we could help. through many conversations we discovered that there wasn’t just one cause.

it was complicated. each one had a story. many had jobs they went to every day. one man had to be transported to dialysis 3 times a week. It took some work, but we were able to partner with organizations and get many families the help they needed.

the sad thing is in this world we tend to oversimplify pain and suffering and make rash judgements about peoples situations. and lump everyone into one category. we can forget that those in need aren’t just a problem to be solved but people who need hope.

and hope is what we as followers of Christ are called to bring. But how do we bring hope if we fail to have our attitudes and behaviors shaped by God’s word rather than our present culture? especially if we limit our interactions to those who’s company we prefer or favor. We have to ask ourselves if that’s really the heart God desires?

James discovered that there were was some issues in the church in regards to how people were being treated. Some were receiving preferential treatment due to social status or wealth.

(1) 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 whois 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? (5) Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn’t

 God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him? (6) But you dishonor the poor! Isn’t it the rich who oppress you and drag you into court? (7) Aren’t they the ones who slander Jesus Christ, whose noble name  you bear? (8) Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  (9) But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. 

You are guilty of breaking the law. (10) For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws. (11) For the same God who said, “You must not commit adultery,” also said, “You must not murder.”  So if you murder someone but do not commit adultery, you have still broken the law. (12) So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free. (13) There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.
James 2:1-13 – NLT

Why We Drift Toward Favoritism

we live in a world where celebrity, wealth and positions of power are celebrated, VIPs are given the best seats at games and concerts. but we don’t roll out the red carpet and play theme music while they enter the church and then usher them upfront. or at least we shouldn’t.

Of course Favoritism isn’t always that obvious. sometimes it comes out in ways that are more subtle.  we can be cliquish and stay within our comfort circle of friends rather than reaching out to others.

think about it like this. Say you walk into an emergency room and your given a pamphlet on self care and told to download an app where you can diagnose yourself. No nurse to take your blood pressure or ask you about your symptoms, no one checks you in. you just get some information and then walk out. sounds crazy right. most of us would say that’s not an actual emergency room. its not functioning as it should. But we can kind of do that as the church when we fail to reach out to others beyond our comfort circles. 

How the Gospel Confronts Favoritism

James reminds us:

• God has chosen the poor to be rich in faith (v.5).
• The “royal law” still governs Jesus’ people: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (v.8).
• Favoritism isn’t a personality quirk; it’s sin (v.9).
• Why? Because the church’s center isn’t status but Identifying ourselves with  Jesus Christ”
• . He drew near to the overlooked, lifted the lowly, and leveled the ground at the foot of the cross.

What Favoritism Costs (James 2:10–13)

Partiality breaks God’s law of love (vv.10–11). It damages our witness and hardens our hearts. James ends with both warning and hope:

“There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy… But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.” (v.13)

Mercy doesn’t ignore truth; mercy fulfills it. Mercy is the oxygen of a gospel-shaped community.

Six Practices That Train a Favoritism-Free Church

1. See People Through God’s Eyes

• What impresses us does not impress God, what makes us uncomfortable does not make God uncomfortable. When we make judgements on outward appearances we are like the world rather than reflecting the character of Christ.
• When God had rejected Saul as king and he told Samuel to go anoint the one who would be king of Israel he went to the house of a man named Jesse who had some very impressive looking sons. and The prophet Samuel thought that one of these surely would be the next king. However, it was the youngest son who was out tending the sheep that was to be anointed. David was not as visually impressive as his brothers. He didn’t look big and intimidating but he had a heart for God. 
• Remember: “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).
• Ask: “How does God see this person?” before reacting.-
• When God looks at us he sees what’s on the inside. he sees what we could become. He does not size us up as the world does. and he wants us to have that same attitude towards others. not to see other people for how they can benefit us but to see how we can help them.

2. Humble Yourself

• As Christian’s we do not believe we are better than anyone.
• If anything as we grow in our relationship with God we understand how we all fall short of what we should be and how much we need his help.
• we all mess up in this life and we all have a little bit of rebel in us, a little voice that says do it your own way. that voice isn’t there to pick us up when things go wrong. but Jesus is. (Romans 3:23).
• the believer is called to serve others

3. Practice the “Royal Law of Love”

• James 2:8 calls us to “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
• If you wouldn’t want to be overlooked or mistreated, don’t do it to others.
• Cultivate habits of kindness toward everyone, regardless of what they can “offer” you.

4. Examine Your Motives

• James says favoritism comes from “evil motives” (James 2:4).
• Ask yourself honestly: Am I showing kindness because I hope to get something in return? Or am I doing this out of Christlike love?

5. Be Intentional in Relationships

• Greet the newcomer before the person you already know.
• Sit with someone who seems lonely.
• look for opportunities to get outside of yourself and be used by God.

6. Serve Without Expecting Anything Back

• Jesus said: “When you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed” (Luke 14:13–14).
• Serving people who cannot “repay” you trains your heart to love selflessly.
• we don’t serve for recognition or to earn more favor with God but so we can become more like Christ.

Our Upcoming Homeless Outreach

• Three ways every one of us can participate:
• Go: Join the outreach team (food service, prayer, set-up/tear-down, welcome).
• Give: Donate non-perishables, hygiene kits, socks
• Guard in Prayer: Add the outreach to your calendar and pray during the event window.

Let’s choose mercy over judgment and people over preferences. No favorites in the family of God