Sit Near Me

Let us imagine that James is speaking of humor, talent or charisma in the next passage and not money...

"For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, 'You sit here in a good place,' while you say to the poor man, 'You stand over there,' or, 'Sit down at my feet,' have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?... If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself,' you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it." - James 2:2-4, 8-10 ESV

"You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor." - Leviticus 19:15 ESV

Wow.

The passage in Leviticus that James quotes is limited to matters of law but James takes it up a notch doesn't he?

'Sit near me.' is a bit more personal than a case in a court of law.

Convicting, isn't it?

God's mind must have the preeminence. We are all guilty of 'the whole law' our natural thinking proves it again and again but grace gives us a way to rise above and walk with God. There is great value in living above our preferences and living in our convictions about grace.

The poor man or woman knows when they are being passed over for someone else. God is glorified when there is 'a space' where things aren't like that.

Is the space around us a place where everyone is welcome? God is glorified in a space like that.

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