Favoritism

Whether you’re a mom, a grill master, or a restaurant chef, you usually cook for the enjoyment of others. In the church, leadership often gets frustrated trying to please people (music style, programs, etc.) and they may resort to making choices to please themselves. The justification for favoring their own choice over the desires of others becomes, “You can’t please everyone.” Favoritism, even favoritism towards oneself, is forbidden. James said, “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” (James 2:8-10 NIV).