Devotional: Partiality Leads to Oppression: James 2:1-6

It is easy for me to show partiality. While partiality may not be a bad thing, it becomes evil when we allow our partiality to cause us to oppress another person. Oppression means that the stronger party does something to prevent a weaker party to be free to make their own choices. Oppression means that the stronger party forces the weaker party to conform to their ideas, rules, culture, religion, and way of life. Oppression can mean persecution and bondage. Partiality can mean giving preference to one person or group of people over another person or group of persons. Partiality leads to discrimination leading to injustice.

While Christians may agree that there is a lot of partiality, oppression and injustice in our society, Christians may reject the idea that they are guilty of showing partiality and being oppressors of other people. Christians often rationalize that they are simply doing what God commands them to do. Christians often believe that they are doing the will of God when they show preference to one person over another. However, Christians should not show preference to people that look like them, talk like them, dress like them, and smell like them. This is not a problem in our general society only. Instead as James points out partiality and oppression is a problem in the church.

In James 2 the author points out that partiality and oppression are sins. James gives an example of how the church is showing a preference for the rich. They should not show partiality toward the rich and oppress the poor. God has chosen “the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him” (Jas 2:5, NASB). By showing partiality toward the rich they “have dishonored the poor man” (v. 6). The rich that they honor are those who oppress them and personally drag them into court (v. 6).

I must be careful that I do not judge others by my own standards. I believe that while I should maintain my standards for myself, I am not at liberty to show partiality toward people that I personally like and approve. Those that are different from me are also children of God, joint heirs in the kingdom of God. They too have access to all the blessings that are granted by God to all of the people in His kingdom.

Prayer: Lord, teach us to not show partiality so that we do not oppress others. Amen.