“The Prophet, He Loves Me!” (James 2:1-4)

Many years ago, I was privileged to practice family medicine on the Micronesian island of Ponape. During my two month rotation, I lived in an apartment building inhabited by several workers associated with the United States Peace Corps and the United Nations. One of my neighbors was a prosthetics expert from Burma and he and I became very close friends. I always prayed before our meals together and one evening he asked me about my faith.

 

“Are you a Christian?”

 

I nodded, eager to have an opportunity to share my faith with my new friend.

 

“When I first came to Ponape, I visited the Christian church.”

 

“Did you like it?”

 

“No.” His terse reply prepared me for an uncomfortable exchange.

 

“I came in and was told to sit in the back of the church. No one greeted me or talked to me.”

 

I shook my head. I wanted to say something that would somehow put the awful experience in perspective but what could I say? How could I defend my Christian brothers and sisters? I didn’t have to, my friend had already made up his mind about religion.

 

“But I visited the other church, the one where Dr. Smith teaches.”

 

Dr. Smith was one of my medical preceptors, overseeing my training during the rotation. He was there as a missionary, an ambassador for his religious faith. It was not Christianity but a religion that embraced universalism, espousing that all religions were paths to the same god. It’s prophet was revered as the latest incarnation of God, like Jesus or Muhammad. It was a religion that warmly embraced my friend.

 

“Everyone was so nice to me! They showed me where to sit. They talked to me about the prophet. We had lunch after church. Whenever I returned to the church, I was always welcomed! So friendly!”

 

My friend beamed as he recalled his experiences. “The prophet, he loves me!”

 

My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.  For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in,  and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,”  have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

James 2:1-4 (ESV)

 

It is a sad testimony that some Christian churches are not inviting or caring to new visitors, or even to their own church members. I have been on the receiving end of a chilly reception at several churches, similar to what my friend experienced the first time he visited a Christian church in Ponape. There is no excuse for this type of behavior from any Christian or a church. Jesus Christ embraced everyone: men and women, rich and poor, sick and healthy. Why? We are all sinners in desperate need of a Savior. Jesus gave us the supreme example of how we are to make no distinctions between ourselves and those who seek to worship God and attend a church. All are welcome because all of us are sinners.

 

Jesus Christ loves all of us.

 

I pray that I will be an example of His love and not of my sinful nature.

 

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.