Jason's Blog

I have been doing some teaching lately on the book of James on Sunday mornings.    Above is a great video/scripture meditation. Just click on the play button to get it rolling. I shared with my class a couple of weeks ago this nice piece by John Piper on “Seven Reasons to Avoid Partiality.”

1. Partiality contradicts faith in Jesus Christ as the Lord of glory (Verse 1).
2. Partiality reveals a judging heart and behind it evil thinking (Verses 2-4).
3. Partiality to the rich contradicts God’s heart, because he has chosen many of the poor for himself (Verse 5).
4. Partiality dishonors people created in the image of God (Verse 6a).
5. Partiality to the rich backfires and becomes your downfall (Verses 6b-7).
6. Partiality makes you a transgressor of the law of liberty (Verse 9-11).
7. Partiality is not mercy. But if you don’t show mercy, you will perish (Verse 13).

The other Christian author that comes to mind as I think about the issue of partiality is Soren Kierkegaard and his powerful Works of Love.  Consider these choice words:

“The task is not to find the loveable object, but to find the object before you lovable– whether given or chosen– and to be able to continue finding this one lovable, no matter how that person changes”.

We foolish people often think that when a person has changed for the worse we are exempted from loving him.  What a confusion in language: to be exempt from loving.

True love is a matter of loving the person  you see.  The emphasis is not on loving the perfections, but on loving the person you see, no matter what perfections or imperfections that person might possess.

If you wish to become perfect in love, strive to love the person you see, just as you see him, with all his imperfections and weaknesses.  Love him as you see him when he is utterly changed, when he no longer loves you, when he perhaps turns indifferently away or turns to love someone else.  Love him as you see him when he betrays you and denies you.  Love the person you see and the person you love.”

I have to think that James, the brother of our Lord would shout, “Amen” to these words. How hard it is to love whoever it is that we see! To treat people the same– whether they would fit on Tim Gunn’s runway or if they smell like the gutter– this is the call of the good news. All people are the same. God doesn’t love people more because they have gold rings or fine clothes. He loves them the same and offers them all life in Jesus– a poor carpenter’s son.

This Thanksgiving be grateful for what you have and be willing to share openly and lovingly with others.