Under Foot

My brothers and sisters, show no partiality as you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. For if a man with gold rings and fine clothes comes into your assembly, and a poor person with shabby clothes also comes in, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Sit here, please,” while you say to the poor one, “Stand there,” or “Sit at my feet,” have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil designs?

Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Did not God choose those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom that he promised to those who love him? But you dishonored the poor. 

Are not the rich oppressing you? And do they themselves not haul you off to court? Is it not they who blaspheme the noble name that was invoked over you? However, if you fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, You shall love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.  (James 2:1-9)

James sounds like he is campaigning in 2020 to be our next president.   He warns us about the dangers of listening only to those with gold rings and fine clothes.  We risk becoming judges with evil designs.   We tell the poor to stand over there or at our feet (perhaps under our feet).

The expression “money is the root of all evil” is relevant to the 2020 elections with those having enough money being able to garner the most votes through pervasive, expensive, yet effective campaigns.  Republicans or democrats using their vast sums of money to acquire or retain, power, prestige and possessions can oppress us.

For this reason, we must carefully listen to them and truly understand if they love their neighbor as themselves.  That’s the key for choosing our next leader who will preserve our Nation for love of our country and the Constitution for all it represents.

Deacon David Pierce