We are God’s possessions

Suppose a rich man wearing a gold ring and fine clothes comes to your meeting, and a poor man in ragged clothes also comes. If you show more respect to the well-dressed man and say to him, ‘Have this best seat here’, but say to the poor man, ‘Stand over there, or sit here on the floor by my feet’, then you are guilty of creating distinctions among yourselves and of making judgments based on evil motives. (verses 2-4)

Read James 2:1-13

In our world people make distinctions based on wealth. Restaurants, casinos, social clubs and business societies open their doors to those who look successful and prosperous, but they exclude people who look as if they have nothing to offer.

The church should be different. None of us are in the church because of what we own or because of what we can afford to buy. We are in the church because God has bought us with the blood of the Lord Jesus. So when we look at our fellow Christians, rather than paying attention to the cut of their clothes or the jewellery they wear, we should see them as God sees them. Like us, they are God’s people, given the seal of God’s ownership in baptism, and chosen by God to be a part of his kingdom.

Father, thank you for making me your own child. Help me to receive all your faithful people as my brothers and sisters in Christ. Amen.

By Fraser Pearce, in “God’s Promises for each day” (LCA, Openbook Publishers (1999)

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