God’s Perspective (5)

“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. For he who said, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ also said, ‘Do not murder.’ If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.” James 2:9-11 (NIV)

Have you ever heard of the domino effect? If you accidentally tip one domino, it triggers an effect that ultimately impacts every other domino. Tip toeing through life in a fallen world is very similar to the domino effect. It doesn’t take much to sin. One impure thought is sin. Failing to do what God wants you do is sin. Doing what God does not want you to do is sin.

• “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 (NIV)
• “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” 1 John 1:8 (NIV)
• “Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.” 1 John 3:4 (NIV)

Our sin nature causes a chain reaction. The more we sin the more our sin nature craves sin. Whatever you feed grows and whatever you starve dies. Crucify the flesh! Make no provision for sin!

Favoritism is a sin that we can succumb to subtly. It can sneak up on us. We can drift from having God’s perspective and fail to see others through His eyes.

Let’s commit to stay sensitive to the presence of sin. Sometimes favoritism is not as tangible in our own lives. We may not even realize that we are showing favoritism. Let’s ask God to help detect even a fraction of favoritism resident in our lives.

Pursuing God,

Stephen Trammell
Executive Pastor