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?
James 2:1-4
Partiality probably happens more often than we think. In the Greek, the word translated to “partiality” literally means to receive someone according to their face.* It refers to judging someone according to their outward appearance.* In fact, the Greek word used is plural, thus indicating a general application to any outward feature including but not limited to dress, skin color, or general appearance.*
How many times do we look at someone and think, “wow, they look like a nice person”? Or see someone in a hoodie and think, “danger!” Sometimes these thoughts may feel innocent, and they could be, but James warns that such judgements can have applications that are very un-Christlike.
In the time of James, only the wealthy had the means to purchase clothing.* Everyone else made their own clothes.* This made it easy to tell the “haves” and “have-nots”. Shockingly, the prevailing surrounding culture (the Romans) saw the poor as faceless nothings.*
James’ admonition reminds us that a) we are not to be partial to others based upon the outward appearance, and b) we are not to be poisoned by the world around us.* To see all people as precious aligns us with the Kingdom of God rather than the kingdom of this world.
This is a challenge.
Sometimes out of insecurity, we want to be treated in a special way. This insecurity begs to be affirmed, and becomes frustrated when we are not. In an effort to treat others as we want to be treated, we give those we see as how we wish others to see us special treatment. Meanwhile, we ignore or even mistreat those that we wish to separate ourselves from. Sound complicated? It is.
The word in the Greek for “shabby” in this passage refers to dirt.* Other translations use the word “filthy.”
Do you remember a time when you were confronted with the situation that James presents? Can you recall a time that you came across an individual stood before you in filth? Filth seldom comes without smell. The poor that James experienced included a sensory overload that could be naturally repelling. Similarly, a wealthy, well-groomed, perfumed person, like a flower, invites intimacy.
Living according to the Kingdom of God requires that we see beyond the outward appearance. Holding onto faith in our Lord Jesus Christ requires it, for it is how He views us. Though we are filthy in our sin, inside and out, He relates and identifies with each of us.
Today, take a step.
Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to repent for judging and treating others with preference. Perhaps today God wants you to step into a process of healing to free you from your insecurities. Maybe today God would have you ask Him to help you to treat all equally.
Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.
Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.
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*Blomberg, C. L., & Kamell, M. J. (2008). James (Vol. 16, pp. 93–96). Zondervan.
Guthrie, G. H. (2006). James. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews–Revelation (Revised Edition) (Vol. 13, pp. 228–229). Zondervan.
Stulac, G. M. (1993). James (Jas 2:1-4). IVP Academic.
Moo, D. J. (2021). The Letter of James (D. A. Carson, Ed.; Second Edition, pp. 125–127). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Nystrom, D. P. (1997). James (pp. 96–98). Zondervan Publishing House.