"For if a person comes into your congregation whose hands are adorned with gold rings and who is wearing splendid apparel, and also a poor [man] in shabby clothes comes in." James 2:2We should be doing with this verse, what we should do with all scripture. And that is... Putting our-self in the story, or picture that God is setting before us. If we have prayed before reading these verses (as we should also do), and asked God to reveal His truth to us... open our hearts to what is being said, we can imagine these people walking into our presence and allow God to work what he wants in our heart.
Look at them now... you've seen them in your congregation. Maybe you are one or the other described here... maybe you're in the middle. Regardless, what do you see when you look at them? Can you see beyond the jewelry or rags... the shiny tie or dirty nails? Look closer... do you see what God has watched happen in each of their lives that has made either of them who they are today. Do you see the same potential... the same spiritual need... do you see them the way God does?
We can you know... If Christ dwells in our heart, then the Holy Spirit should be revealing spiritual things... we should see through His spiritual eyes and ears that can allow us to see others the way God does. Before we move on to the next verse, let's look at these people in this verse and try to understand "what" we see and "why".
Let's pick up with James verse 2:3-4 next time.
I love you.
"For if a person comes into your congregation whose hands are adorned with gold rings and who is wearing splendid apparel, and also a poor [man] in shabby clothes comes in." James 2:2
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