Church and partiality

"The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good!"

The words of Samuel Johnson are, and have been for a long time, something that has challenged and shaped my faith life. So often I have come across Church when it is brown-nosing, cowtowing and pusillanimously, Uriah Heap like, snivelling around those whom society assumes are important. We place 'reserved' labels on our pews and push the plebs to the rear of the church building. We preach sermons which tell our dignitaries that not only are they the 'first citizens' but tell them how God will call them 'good and faithful servants' when the final whistle blows!

Whenever I see the Church showing partiality I think of Johnson's words and those of James 2 (1 - 10):

"My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favouritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here's a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?
If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbour as yourself,” you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it."

simple stuff - we treat all the same regardless. Isn't that how the grace we claim for ourselves works?

Pax