Read James 2:8-13
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)
The Royal Law was given by God to Moses in Leviticus 19:18 : “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbour as yourself. I am the Lord.”
All of us love ourselves more than we love our neighbour. Thus we are showing partiality when we regard ourselves to be more important than others.
Jesus Christ gave a perfect example of neighbourly love when an expert in the Law asked Jesus: “And who is my neighbour?” (Luke 10:29). In the story that follows (see Luke 10:30-37) there are three parties involved with the man who “fell into the hands of robbers”. Firstly, the robbers whose life motto was “what is yours is mine, if I can get it.” One does not need to be a robber in order to be desperate to wrest a higher position from someone else in the workplace, the society, the organization,the political party or even the church! The priest and Levite passed by on the other side because they lived with their motto “what is mine is mine, if I can keep it.” They were only interested in their own affairs and had no time or concern for those in need. But the Samaritan had a different motto, which he put into practice as he looked at the victim, “what is mine is yours if you need it.” His thoughts, his time, his action and his finance were all at the disposal of the person in need. The despised Samaritan obeyed the Royal Law by showing mercy.
Jesus Christ told the lawyer, and he also tells us : “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:37). We are again reminded how we should think, speak and act because: “judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!” (James 2:13)
Are we going and doing likewise?
This meditation is extracted from “Transformation from Belief to Behaviour: 39 Lenten Meditations on the Letter of James” by Peter Young and used with permission by the author. It may be used solely for personal, noncommercial, and informational purposes. Republication or redistribution of this devotional is prohibited.
The Micah Mandate is a Christian-based public interest advocacy ministry that seeks a transformation of our nation through justice, mercy and humility.
