We may not be prejudice toward people of a different ethnic background or race. But there is one little word that may undermine our non-prejudicial atmosphere: favorites.
As we step through Black History Month, we can’t help but pause to consider our own prejudices and biases. Having been in youth ministry for many years, I have not run into overt prejudice or racism among youth workers. Keyword: overt. We are a fairly open bunch, but we might be susceptible to a more nuanced prejudice.
I have found in my own ministry walk that while I don’t consider myself racially prejudice, I have found myself playing favorites. Not racial or ethnic favorites, but a subtler form of socioeconomic or emotional favorites. The leader student vs. the disrespectful student. The enthusiastic student vs. the critical student. I will gravitate toward the former of each example. This, of course, is a form of prejudice and is likely why James comes on strongly on the subject of playing favorite in James 2. There is much for us to gain from this small chunk of Scripture that will help us root out any personal favoritism and establish a more God-honoring ministry.
Take a moment to read James 2:1-13 from your Bible or Bible app. To help ingest the detail, look for these things as you read:
- references to favoritism, poor, rich.
- references to readers of James’ letter.
- references to God.
Now take a moment to reflect on what you found. Ponder the basic questions of Who? What? and Why?
Have you reflected? Initially, James’ exhortation seems obvious. Of course we’re not to cater to the rich over the poor. But let’s change the scenarios a bit, maybe broaden our definition of “rich” and “poor” to fit a more likely and nuanced scenario we might encounter. Here are some examples:
Suppose…
- a student comes into your meeting who comes from a family full-on supportive of your ministry.
- another student comes into your meeting who comes from a family critical of your ministry and sees it as a distraction to “more important” activities.
Suppose…
- a student comes into your meeting who is a leader on the local school campus: good student AND a great athlete.
- another student comes into your meeting who shows no ambition or initiative and is constantly in trouble with school authorities.
Suppose…
- a student comes into your meeting who naturally draws people to him or her.
- another student comes into your meeting who naturally repels people.
Suppose… (create your own)
- a student comes into your meeting who…
- another student comes into your meeting who…
In our flesh, we are drawn to quickly reach out to the first student in each scenario. It’s natural. We don’t need to beat ourselves up for this. But…
We need a mental check in place to stop our first reaction in its tracks, to keep us from reacting out of flesh and to encourage reacting out of Spirit.
Perhaps the best motivation, and a worthy mental check, is the last line in James 2:13: mercy triumphs over judgement. When we run students through our personal filters by sizing them up in relation to our ministry, we are, in essence, rendering judgement. In a matter of seconds, we process questions like: How can this student help advance our ministry? Is there leadership potential here? Will she bring friends? But mercy triumphs over judgement. James 2 tells us to stop the judgement. We are to lead with mercy.
Every student who walks into our youth rooms, every person who walks into our churches, deserves to receive mercy from us as our first reaction. We are called to strip away all the externals: ambition, motivation, slothfulness, laziness, well-groomed, frumpy. God asks us to look at what He looks at: the heart. Every heart, no matter what externals shroud it, needs mercy.
It might be beneficial to take a personal inventory of the type of student you tend to gravitate toward or reach out to. Maybe it’s time to change your filter and have your lead-off, size-up question simply be: How can I show this student mercy?
We’re pleased to offer you a FREE SESSION on this subject from James 2, Nothin But Heart, out of InWord’s small-group study of James, Hear and Do. Check it out here!