No Favoritism 不可偏袒

[Dexu Xia]

If you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. James 2:9

Today's Scripture James 2:1-13

Today's Insights    A key problem James addressed was the rich-poor divide threatening the unity and harmony of the church (2:1-11; 5:1-6). He reiterated that God intentionally chose the materially poor to be spiritually rich as sons and heirs of God (2:5; see Luke 6:20; 1 Corinthians 1:26-29). Therefore, it’s a sin to favor the wealthy and discriminate against or exploit the poor (James 2:1-9). Those who commit these evil acts “have dishonored the poor” (v. 6) whom God has blessed and have blasphemed His holy name (v. 7). To treat all believers in the church impartially, James instructs us to keep “the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’ ” (v. 8, see Leviticus 19:18). Jesus says this is the second greatest commandment for His followers (Matthew 22:39). With God’s help, we can love everyone equally and without favoritism.

Today's Devotional    In 1872, President Ulysses S. Grant was stopped for recklessly driving his carriage through Washington DC. One published account says that the officer, an African American named William West, warned Grant, “Your fast driving, sir . . . is endangering the lives of the people who have to cross the street.” Grant apologized, but the next night he was racing carriages again. West stopped Grant’s horses. “I am very sorry, Mr. President, to have to do it, for you are the chief of the nation and I am nothing but a policeman, but duty is duty.” West arrested the president.

I admire this brave man for doing his duty. So did Grant. He praised West and made sure he kept his job. God also was pleased, for He hates the injustice of favoritism. James wrote, “Believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism” (James 2:1). That includes not giving special favors to the rich and powerful, leaving only leftovers for the poor (vv. 2-4). Instead, we’re called to love our neighbor as ourselves (v. 8). If we play favorites, serving our platinum club neighbors rather than the less privileged, we “sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers” (v. 9).

God didn’t play favorites with anyone.  He loved us when we had nothing to offer, when we were “without hope and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12). With His help, we can love all people equally.

Reflect & Pray

Why is favoritism such a harmful thing? How might you avoid playing favorites?

 I praise You, Father, that no human is above or beneath me.

By Mike Wittmer

 “如果你按外貌待人，就是犯罪，被律法定为犯法的。”（雅各书 2:9 ）

今日经文 雅各书 2章1-13 节

今日洞见 雅各书要解决的一个关键问题是教会里的贫富差距，它威胁着教会的合一与和谐（2:1-11；5:1-6）。雅各重申，上帝特意拣选物质上贫穷的人，使他们在灵里富足，成为上帝的儿女和继承人（2:5；参见路加福音 6:20；哥林多前书 1:26-29）。因此，偏袒富人，歧视或剥削穷人都是罪（雅各书 2:1-9）。那些犯下这些恶行的人“羞辱了穷人”（第 6 节），他们也亵渎了上帝的圣名（第 7 节），因为穷人是上帝所祝福的。为了公平对待教会中的所有信徒，雅各教导我们要遵守“圣经中那至高律法，就是‘爱人如己’”（第 8 节，参见利未记 19:18）。耶稣说，这是祂的门徒要遵守的第二大诫命（马太福音 22:39）。在上帝的帮助下，我们可以平等地爱每一个人，不偏袒任何人。

今日灵修   1872年，尤利西斯·S·格兰特总统因在华盛顿特区鲁莽驾驶马车而被拦下。一份已发表的记载称，这位名叫威廉·韦斯特的警官（一位非裔美国人）警告格兰特说：“先生，您驾车速度太快，危及了过路行人的生命安全。”格兰特道歉了。但第二天晚上他又在赛马车。韦斯特拦住了格兰特的马车，并逮捕了总统，他说：“总统先生，很抱歉，我不得不这样做，虽然您是国家元首，而我只是一个警察，但这是我的职责所在”。

我钦佩这位勇敢的警察尽忠职守。格兰特也一样。他赞扬了韦斯特，并确保韦斯特保住了工作。上帝也会为此感到高兴的，因为祂憎恶不公正的偏袒。雅各写道：“你们信奉我们荣耀的主耶稣基督，就不可按着外貌待人”（雅各书 2:1）。这包括不偏袒富人和有权势的人，不把剩饭残羹留给穷人（第2-4节）。相反，我们被呼召要爱人如己（第8节）。如果我们厚此薄彼，只服侍那些富有的邻居，而不顾那些贫困的人，我们就是“犯罪，被律法定为犯法的人”（第9节）。 

上帝不偏袒任何人。当我们一无所有，当我们“没有指望，没有神在世上”（以弗所书2:12）的时候，祂仍然爱我们。在祂的帮助下，我们可以平等地爱所有人。

反思与祷告   为什么偏袒是如此有害？你如何才能避免厚此薄彼？

父啊，我赞美祢，因为在祢眼中，没有人比我更高贵，也没有人比我更卑贱。

作者：迈克·维特默