Mid-Week Musings

September 4, 2024

Suggested Reading: James 2:1-4

Dear NBRC Family & Friends,

What should a person’s faith in God look like in practical ways? How should that faith be evident to others? One way is in how that person treats others.

In the suggested Scripture reading, James speaks against Christians treating others with favoritism because of how they appear. The example he gives is that of a person who appears rich because of the fine jewelry and clothes being worn being treated more favorably at a Christian assembly (worship?) than a person who appears poor because of dirty clothes being worn. How these two people are treated is based simply on their appearance.

“Don’t judge a book by its cover,” I was told growing up. It was good advice then and it still is. It can be tempting to form opinions and to make judgments about a person based on his or her outward appearance. It can be easy to assume a person who appears rich can do more for us than a person who appears poor, or that those who appear rich are more powerful or influential.

Our opinions and treatment of others might be based not only on perceived economic or social status, but also on political preferences, nationality, the color or colors of one’s hair, body paint, body piercings, and more. But doing so is inconsistent with the example of Jesus. Jesus treated everyone fairly, and He still does. So should we.

Prayer suggestion: As you pray, ask God to help you treat others fairly.

Pastor Ron

(Next Sunday morning, September 8, the Scripture lesson will be from Psalm 150:1-6. The sermon title is A Primer on Praising God. Following the worship service there will be a reception for Dorothy Bosch in recognition of the many years she served as an accompanist at NBRC.)