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"Year of the Bible" Q&As and Pastor's Reflection

Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Monday:What is Ezekiel supposed to do with his hair when the days of the siege end? (Ezek 5)
Ezekiel 5:2-4 2 When the days of your siege come to an end, burn a third of the hair with fire inside the city. Take a third and strike it with the sword all around the city. And scatter a third to the wind. For I will pursue them with drawn sword. 3 But take a few strands of hair and tuck them away in the folds of your garment. 4 Again, take a few of these and throw them into the fire and burn them up. A fire will spread from there to the whole house of Israel.

And here's the question of the day:
Tuesday: What is the “royal law” of Scripture that James reminds us that if we follow, we are doing right? (James 2)

And here's the reflection of the day:
"My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism" (James 2:1).

This is a sneaky little sin, isn't it? Favoritism. We probably do it without even knowing it.

Think about it for a minute--in what ways do you most frequently show favoritism?

Have you come up with anything? Do you discriminate against pop with caffeine? cookies with sugar? mayonnaise on sandwiches? Or perhaps it is something slightly more serious . . . paying more attention to those who are dressed nicely as opposed to those who are not? Helping only those who help themselves? Being kind only to those who are kind to you?

Favoritism is sneaky. We can justify it pretty easily.

And though we might be tempted to think favoritism might only be a minor infraction (something surely we can get away with), verse 10 bursts our little denial bubble: "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it."

So maybe the area we show the most favoritism is in our sinning! We pride ourselves on not committing this sin or that sin, all the while indulging in our favorite sins. There are some sins that we think are beneath us--things WE would never do. But then there are others sins that everyone does. And those sins aren't too bad, because everyone else does those, right?

But James reminds us that to sin in one way is to sin in all ways. So, the next time you start feel a little high and mighty because you NOT have committed murder or adultery or any of the other BIG commandments, just remember that stumbling at just one point means breaking all of it. "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

BUT our every sin has been atoned for by "our glorious Lord Jesus Christ." And there's the good news!