Scriptures Used: James 2:1-3, 9; 1 Timothy 5:21; John 13:34-35; Genesis 37; 1 Corinthians 12:12-31; Romans 2:10-11
What do you think of when you hear the words favoritism, partiality or clique?
Favoritism is defined in the Vines as to separate, distinguish, discern, judge, decide, it also came to mean to be divided in ones mind, to hesitate, doubt.
Favorite in Webster’s dictionary is defined as a person or thing, regarded with special favor or preference.
Favoritism is defined as the unfair favoring onf one person or group over others.
Clique is defined as a small exclusive group of people.
So basically favoritisms when we separate or distinguish and unfairly favor one person over another; A clique is an exclusive group of people who separate or distinguish themselves from others. Showing favoritism can make a person feel unwanted, inferior and uncomfortable et cetera, et cetera. A scripture example of what God feels about favoritism can be found in James 2:1-3, 9 and 1 Tim 5:21. Yes, we have different relationships with different people; there are people that we feel more comfortable with or people that we trust more than others. That is understandable, and this is not favoritism. Favoritism comes in when we treat someone different or worse than we treat someone else. Cliques can operate the same way on a larger scale. For instance, there is a clique that has a certain set of rules or criteria for instance you have to be a certain height or a certain weight) and if you don’t fit that criteria then you are excluded because you are not like them. Cliques can cause division in the church. If we are being exclusive how we will fulfill the scipture in John 13:34-35? We are not showing that we belong to God. We are to be spreading the gospel but we cannot draw people to the Lord if we are not being cliquish and showing favoritism. It can turn people off. As Christians we are not to exclude anyone because we are of the same body, we are a family together in Christ. We are not to show favoritism or partiality. For an example of favoritism we can look at the story of Joseph and his brothers in Genesis 37. Joseph was the youngest of his 11 brothers. He was the favorite of his father Jacob; Joseph was the first son of the wife who Jacob loved the most. He treated his son extra special and even made him a colorful coat. This show of favoritism and the dreams he spoke of drove his brothers to want to kill him, they instead sold him into slavery. This example should show us what showing favoritism could do to a person, it is important for us to treat each other with respect. A lot of people believe that it is wrong to show favoritism to one child over another, so it should also be wrong to show favoritism to anyone else. We are all God’s children, and we should strive not to show favoritism one to another. We all have the same benefits of being Christians. We are all striving to go to the same heaven; we should not be partial to one another. We are all members of the same body of Christ (1 Cor 12:12-31). We should strive to get to know one another in order that we be impartial. Rom 2:10-11 talks about how God is imparital. Since, God is impartial and loves us all equally so what right do we have to show favoritism to one another?
