Abolish Favoritism

"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

God clearly condemns favoritism, but American society thrives on it. Partiality always seems to be awarded to celebrities while those who struggle daily without complaint are ignored just because they don't make millions, aren't on the covers of magazines, and aren't the focal point of the news. 

What came to my attention recently, though, is that partiality is demonstrated much closer to home. For some, it might be evident in the local church. For me, it was brought up at Bible study how, to outsiders and newcomers, we might come off as cliquish. This discussion came up during prayer time within a small group. Somebody was brave enough to mention that he had noticed that there seemed to be new people who would appear, but then not return, and this person's primary concern was the fact that we may not be reaching out to newcomers as a whole. We are more apt to be wrapped up in our own cliques, showing favor to those who we naturally have conversations with, instead of reaching out to new faces who might be in most need of friendship and the love of Christ. I'm not saying that nobody reaches out to these newcomers ever, but the vast majority might not bat an eye at them unless they happen to end up seated next to them or are part of the same prayer group following the study.

I have no clear cut solution for how to get away from partiality, but I think being aware of how God views partiality might help us stray away from it. I'm sure I've been guilty of partiality because of self focus and not wanting to be bothered. We've all had those moments in our lives that we look forward to seeing certain people and can't be bothered with those who don't fit into our plan. This needs to get tossed out the window, though, if we are to demonstrate the love of Christ. He showed no partiality, and neither should we. God definitely won't show partiality on judgement day because we have all sinned and fall short of His glory. The fact that we demonstrate partiality in life is actually a sin, for it says in James 2:9, "But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors." My suggestion is to repent for any situation in which you may have unwittingly showed favoritism in any way. Also, the next time there is a new face at church or Bible study, attempt to reach out and befriend no matter what their background. You never know where new fellowship might lead.

Demonstrate Compassion

Living in a world that revolves around yourself is easy. As long as you're happy, that's all that matters. This is not how Christ lived his life, though, and our duty as Christians is to walk in the ways of Jesus as best we can. To do this, we must get outside of our shells and have compassion on other people because that was how Jesus lived. He demonstrated compassion on those he encountered.
One such example of Jesus' compassion can be found within Matthew 15:32, which states, "Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, 'I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.'" Jesus was aware that the large crowd had to feel famished physically, even if they were spiritually full after spending three days with Him. Jesus saw the need of those within the crowd and responded accordingly. He had the disciples distribute what little food they possessed in order to feed the crowd of four thousand, and by God's grace, there were plenty of leftovers. Because of Christ's compassion, the crowd was able to go home with full stomachs and enough energy to make the journey home.
In 21st century America, it becomes too easy to turn a blind eye to the needs of others. Instead of ignoring people's needs, we should be driven to help and serve others the best we can. We must demonstrate compassion, and the only way to do that is to be aware of your surroundings and willing to live outside of your own little bubble. To make it easier to remember, keep the lyrics of Hillsong United's song "Mighty to Save" in mind, which begins with the line, "Everybody needs compassion." That should stir you into action, hopefully. 
For example, if somebody has forgotten their wallet and can't pay for their groceries, offer to help them out. If somebody has a flat tire, stop and ask to assist in anyway that you can. If somebody is job-searching, just like you, offer suggestions to make the process easier and less stressful for them. These are all ways that each one of us can demonstrate compassion. Hebrews 10:24 phrases it in this unique fashion: "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works." By taking the time to demonstrate compassion in the lives of others, we offer an example and encouragement for others to follow suit.