FAVORITISM
Thursday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
My dear encountered couples:
James talks about favoritism, treating one person more special than another. How can anyone not do that? Certainly you will treat your own children in more special ways than someone else’s children. That’s natural. Your parents, your husband, your wife can expect more attention from you than other people. And we all have special friends. Is James saying this should not be so?
What James is talking about is treating people better or worse because of their wealth, their power, their influence, or the lack of all that. Every person is created in the image and likeness of God, and redeemed by Christ - therefore, worthy of justice. Here’s an example of favoritism:
A congressman is expected to work for the good of the people who elected him. But along comes a lobbyist who takes him out to lunch, slips him a gold watch, and promises a large contribution to his re-election fund. Then the congressman votes the way the lobbyist wants him to vote instead of the way that is best for his constituents who elected him. That’s favoritism. Such favoritism is obviously dishonest, immoral, and sinful. Might be treasonable!
When we are tempted to treat people better according to their wealth and standing which is unkind and unjust to another person, that’s the favoritism James is talking about. Sounds reasonable to me. What do you think?
