Liz’s Morning Devotional based upon Upper Room
September 8, 2021
Read James 2:1-8
1 My brothers and sisters, when you show favoritism you deny the faithfulness of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has been resurrected in glory. 2 Imagine two people coming into your meeting. One has a gold ring and fine clothes, while the other is poor, dressed in filthy rags. 3 Then suppose that you were to take special notice of the one wearing fine clothes, saying, “Here’s an excellent place. Sit here.” But to the poor person you say, “Stand over there”; or, “Here, sit at my feet.” 4 Wouldn’t you have shown favoritism among yourselves and become evil-minded judges? 5 My dear brothers and sisters, listen! Hasn’t God chosen those who are poor by worldly standards to be rich in terms of faith? Hasn’t God chosen the poor as heirs of the kingdom he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor. Don’t the wealthy make life difficult for you? Aren’t they the ones who drag you into court? 7 Aren’t they the ones who insult the good name spoken over you at your baptism? 8 You do well when you really fulfill the royal law found in scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself.
Good Morning! Love your neighbor!
I love God’s mysterious ways. This passage from James was my sermon text this past Sunday. It seems that we are called to consider it a little bit more.
Who is your neighbor? Over the past thirty years, I have lived “in town” where my neighbors are within a few feet and I have lived in the country where my nearest neighbor is not within sight. Within the call to love our neighbors, Jesus modeled a much broader understanding of who our neighbors are. The Pharisees courted the wealthy landowners so that they might share in their power and benefit from their money while Jesus reached out to serve all in the name of God.
In our modern society, many cannot even tell you who lives next door. Too many times, we are so consumed with our own needs that we fail to notice others. We also have this affliction borne out of the evil of fear that just because someone is different from us that they are dangerous, so we lock our doors and cross to the other side of the street to avoid contact.
How do we love our neighbors in 2021? This is not an easy fix! Because this passage is from James, the doer, we know that we are called to action. For a first step, pray to God for guidance. Next, open your eyes to see the true person living beneath the outer facade. Then, share a kind word or a smile in passing. God will show you the next step.
Loving God, Thank You for loving us. We live in a complicated world. There are so many who live without You. Guide us so that we may turn on the light to those in need as we share Your love and mercy with our neighbors. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: Today I will try to see everyone as God does.
May your heart clear your vision! Pastor Liz
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