If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. 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, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment. James 2:8-13
“Favoritism easily becomes corruption. A favor may be given in exchange for a bribe of money or some other commodity. In this case, favoritism is not just a speck in someone’s eye, but a plank (see Matt 7:3-5). There are also more subtle forms Of favoritism. For example, the line between favoritism and honor is not always clear. We owe honor and respect to those whose positions merit it (Rom. 13:7). Thus it is right for us in Africa to show respect for the elderly (1 Tim. 5:1-2). There is no favoritism when people are given what they are entitled to.
But it can be difficult to tell where this justified respect moves over into favoritism. It is all too easy to show favoritism under the pretense that one is merely honoring someone. In the African context, respect for the elderly and for authority may easily lead to this type of favoritism, and the person receiving the favors may enjoy them and see nothing wrong with accepting them.
However, those who are in positions of honor and authority need to be aware of the danger that the treatment they are receiving is actually unmerited favoritism. The fight against favoritism is a major challenge for Christians who are in positions where it is always present. They should make a special effort to live as Christians, in a way that is different from those around them, because they are called to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth (Matt. 5:13-16). But what can be done if the salt has lost its saltiness?”
Soro Soungalo (Côte d’Ivoire) in “Favoritism” in Africa Bible Commentary, Tokunboh Adeyemo, General Editor (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006).
I really appreciated this lesson in advance of my trip to Africa. I depart later this morning.
As I am coming from abroad, my African brothers and sisters may desire to honor me. Often they will say to me that they want to give me a gift. To address this, I say to them, don’t spend any of God’s money on anything for me.
Instead I ask for a license plate from a junked car to add to my prayer wall at home (pictured above).
In this photo you see plates from Africa, Asia, and Oceania. I have two more walls of plates too. One has all the plates of the USA and the other features Europe, Eurasia, Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
Why give this example? In positions of leadership we can take advantage of that position.
Let’s not do that by taking proactive steps to encourage resource to go to “mission and memories” rather than “perks and privileges.”