People weren't sure what to think as the back woods character made his way up the aisle to sit near the front of the little country church. His feet were bare and he wore no shirt. Someone standing close to him was pretty sure ALL he was wearing was the blue coveralls.
   The pastor warmly greeted the unusually dressed man and invited him back, as did several others in the congregation. No one mentioned a word to him about being improper in his attire. The congregation simply saw a person who may not know Jesus as Savior.
    The following Sunday he showed up in church again, dressed in a three-piece suit, family in tow. When asked about why he was dressed so differently this week, he replied that he had been asked to leave several other churches when he visited dressed in coveralls the week before. He felt this church cared about the man instead of the way he looked. He and his family made it their church home!
    James was concerned about just such a problem in the early church. A reading of James 2 reveals that some were prone to favoring wealthy visitors over those obviously poor. James' indictment of this attitude is found in verse 4, "have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?"
   If we treat someone differently simply because of outward appearance, color, ethnic background or their financial status, we are sinning! Instead, we should fulfill the "royal law" (verse 8).
    Do you love your neighbor as yourself?

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All Scripture references are from the New American Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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