Partiality: Classism

Read James 2:1-13

“Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?” -James 2:5

Imagine you’re walking around the city and a man comes up to you in tattered clothes, smelling a bit strong, and asks you for money. Do you have negative thoughts toward this person? Do you think, “He’ll probably use it for drugs or alcohol.”? Do you become standoffish and try to defend yourself? Do you give, but only because you feel obligated? Or, more obviously, do you look down on him because he is poor?

All of those things are incompatible with following Jesus. In the above passage in James, Scripture condemns people who look down on the poor. Jesus says in Luke 6:20, “Blessed are you who are poor.” In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus says that we will be judged based on how we cared for others less fortunate than us. He even says that when we serve those people, we are serving him.

So try to shake off the stereotypes that our country/culture has placed on poor people. Look past what you might have been told, and have compassion. If you are rich, you are no different in God’s eyes than someone who is poor. Try to see them as Jesus, and you will find that your perspective changes.