Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters: did God not choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court? Do they not blaspheme the good name by which you have been called?

When was the last time you went out of your way to help someone? What led you to take these steps for this specific person? We often give attention to some people and not others. We offer some people attention and respect, while others don’t get the time of day. In this passage, James directly addressed favoritism according to financial status: The rich were respected, while the poor were disregarded. But this is not God’s view. God’s kingdom is not based on social status or public appearance.

Christ is the perfect example of what it looks like to love and care for those who are different from us. He ate with the sinners, He cared for the poor, He spent time with the ones no one else made time for. His love for those on the outskirts was extraordinary and motivated by the love of the Father. Living based on our own bias toward people may keep us comfortable, but it will never take us far in the kingdom of God. He takes us out of our comfort zones and invites us to practice the extraordinary love we have received.

• What are some of the barriers and divisions in your community? Who are the people on the outskirts? Who are the people that are often disregarded?
• How did Jesus set the example of crossing the social barriers of society to love others? What would that look like for you?
• Pray and ask God to help you look for opportunities to love those who are different from you.