Don't show Favourites

Don’t show favourites,

“My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism.  
Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in.  
If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 
Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?  
But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?  
Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong? 
If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.  
But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.” 
                                                                                                   James 2:1-8.
James here is calling us not to show favouritism in any way.
It’s very easy to show favouritism. We see a man entering the church in to a nice suit and assume he is a good person deserving of respect.
It seems to be human nature to assume because a person is badly dressed they should not be trusted.
I have known many people over the years who have refused to go to church because they didn’t have the “proper clothes” to wear.
It tended to be very prevalent in the area where I lived and went to Church in the seventies. People always wore their Sunday best to church.
It happens in many churches still. People seem to dress to impress.
I remember one morning during the week. Having a few minutes to spare I’d dropped into see my pastor. I found him in shorts and tee shirt fixing something or other. I was dressed as they say business causal.
A couple whom we didn’t know dropped in and assumed because of the way I was dressed that I was the pastor. Were they surprised.
Our church is a come as you are church even our worship leader will wear blue jeans when leading worship at times.
We accept people as they are. Which is what James is saying here.
In showing favouritism we are sinning according to James,
James states,
“If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.  
But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.”
Do you show favouritism in the church. Do you judge a person by the kind of clothing they are wearing or by the amount of money in there wallet?
Our call as Christians is to treat each other equally.
Would your church congregation reach out and hug someone who enters who’s less than neatly dressed or dishevelled.
Think about it.