Are we partial?

I am afraid the modern church may be guilty of this! Read today's verses carefully and evaluate your own church.

James 2:1-4

1 My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. 2 For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, 3 and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,” 4 have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

Now I really want you to think about this situation. Put it in today's language. If a family came in your church dressed nice and looked like your all American family how many folks would run to greet them and make them feel welcome??? Now on the other hand if a family came in and smelled and were not dressed very well....how many folks would run to greet them and make them feel welcome? Be honest. In many churches today people would stare and ask each other why are they here. And in many cases that church will never see that family again because they were well aware of the fact that they were not welcome. Look what the latter part of this verse says if we act with partiality...we have become judges with evil thoughts! WOW stop and think about that. We are not to be judges! That is the job of our Lord Jesus Christ when we meet Him face to face. When I think about this situation it breaks my heart that so many people are hurt by the church. This should not be so. ALL are welcome in the house of the Lord. So this morning let us make sure this is not taking place in our church and if it is not let us be in prayer for other churches...our brothers and sisters in Christ that we are loving others not judging others!

God bless...and tell someone you love them today!

Tom