“Are Any Being Discriminated Against?”

Scripture Text: James 2:1-13

--Nancy Eastridge, Texas, quoted in Upper Room, February 17, 1996, writes:
I laughed when I saw the parrot making a great fuss about getting from its perch to the ground. It seemed to be struggling so hard and so much in vain. Funny bird, I said. Come on! Why don't you just fly? Then the owner told me that the wings of parrots are clipped to keep them from flying away.
I watched the parrot struggle--swinging from one foot, turning itself upside down, hanging on with its beak, and finally falling and lying dazed on the ground.
Now there was no laughter in me, for the parrot had become a symbol. It was like all those people who appear to be free in our world, but who have had their wings clipped--by poverty, by lack of education, by discrimination, by insensitive persons. And we tend to stand on the sidelines and say, Strange people! Why don't they act the way the rest of us do? But as we say this, we show that we are unaware of the pain and despair in those who, like the parrot, appear to be free but cannot fly.

It seems that the definition of “normal” is always written by someone who has claimed the right to make the distinction, and not necessarily by someone who should have that responsibility. In our present day society, “Normal” has taken on a shroud of arrogance that has consistently been used to exclude, marginalize, beat down, and humiliate those who, for some reason or another, don’t quite meet the norm of society.

Our son Chris has struggled with learning disabilities all his life, but has found ways to compensate and work around those things that challenged him. He is 34 years old now, has a job and his own apartment, does his own grocery shopping and cooking, and in nearly every way, is independent. But his greatest problem is not within him – it is with the labels that others have placed upon him!
When he was in high school, there were a number of the “normal” kids who used to tease and pick on him. We never heard about it until years later, and then only from his younger brother. He had been labeled by the boys as “not normal”, and they took advantage of him.
When we were applying for SSD benefits, for the third time (Social Security never makes it easy!), the judge asked a court recognized “expert” to be present during the hearing. After asking Chris a couple of questions, the judge turned to the expert and asked him if he thought that Chris fit the definition of “handicapped”, and the answer was, unhesitatingly, “yes”. When Chris and his paralegal came out of the court room (Diane and I weren’t allowed to go in), we were told that the judge had ruled in Chris’ favor. But Chris looked a little puzzled, and questioningly said “They said that I am handicapped!” As far as he was concerned, he was as normal as everyone else, and he is! Discrimination, favoritism, elitism, prejudice, bigotry, bias, or whatever word you wish to use, whether intentional or unintentional, can never, ever, be acceptable behavior.

Read James 2:1-4

James is addressing these thoughts to believers, not to unbelievers! Those in the church were, apparently, engaged in very secular behavior by honoring people for their social status, and by default, dishonoring others for the same reason! How many politicians and other public figures, how many people in the organizations that we belong to, stand for office because they know that their position will gain them honors that most other people will never be accorded? In James’ letter, even though he is targeting honors for the wealthy, the concluding thought in these 4 verses could be written about any form of favoritism. If I may restate his words, “If you grant honors to anyone because of their position, or their appearance, or their social status, or their wealth, you are not only discriminating against those who you have not honored, but you are being nothing less than a judge of humanity, and your actions are nothing short of evil!”
James seems to be taking this issue rather seriously, don’t you think? But is it in line with what Jesus had said about these human judgments? I would offer 3 passages that might reveal Jesus’ thoughts:

Matthew 7:1-2 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Luke 6:37-38 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

John 7:24 “Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment.”

It’s very important for Christians to understand these teachings about discriminate judgmentalism. We are not to do it. Period! A Christian’s first obligation to others is to treat them all the same! And when it comes to our own prestige, we never seek the honor and the glory. Never! Let those outside the Church scramble for the best seat in the house – we should be happy with whatever seat our LORD chooses for us.

Read James 2:5-7

If Christ has chosen the poor to receive the kingdom, who are we to deny them anything in this life?

Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” This seems to be pretty clear, too! God has always had a totally different approach to life than the people of the world have. Jesus told us that it isn’t the prominent and prestigious who should be rewarded – they have already had plenty of recognition. Heavenly rewards will go to those who have been oppressed and repressed, and never rewarded.
And James makes the further point that the very ones who the world is honoring are also the same ones who are taking advantage of us! They don’t deserve our honor!

Read James 2:8-11

Not only are discrimination and favoritism inappropriate actions, they are sins, and James points out that if we commit one sin, we have committed them all. Sin is not individualistic. It’s collective. There are no little sins, and there are no justifiable sins. They are just sins!

Read James 2:12-13

And the world continues to discriminate against those who they don’t agree with, with those who are different than they are, with those who are unable to contribute to the benefit of the elite, with those who can not defend themselves.
And Christians continue to both judge and to be judged – and all if it, unfairly. Persecution of the church is on the rise, and more and more Christians are starting to retaliate instead of “turning the other cheek”. And our retaliation includes both violent acts, as well as rhetoric. And it is all judgmental.
“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom”! That’s what the Luke 6 passage was talking about. Judgment and condemnation will only bring us our own brand of judgment and condemnation, but forgiveness and generosity and mercy and love of others will be rewarded in kind.

Are any being discriminated against? Absolutely! Every day! Both Christians and non Christians alike! But it is the responsibility of every disciple of Christ to fight this brand of oppression and hatred with compassion and generosity and especially forgiveness. There are none who are not worthy to hear Christ’s message of hope and new life. There are none who should not be welcomed into the Body of Christ. There are none who we shouldn’t hold in a higher regard than our own. There are none who don’t deserve our mercy.

“Mercy triumphs over judgment!” That’s James last word on the matter, and that must be our last word, too. No matter what is done to us, no matter what others may think about us or say about us, we must rise about their “gutter”. “Mercy triumphs over [discrimination].” “Mercy triumphs over [hatred].” “Mercy triumphs over [favoritism].” “The Mercy of Jesus Christ triumphs over [the world].”

Take the lower seat in life, and grant the higher place to everyone else. After all, that’s what Jesus did!