Galatians 2.6
“And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me.”
I think it is relevant to comment on verse 6, where Paul says that there were some in the Jerusalem church leadership “who seemed to be influential,” and then goes on to say that “what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality.” We live in a society that adores and exalts celebrities. Whether from entertainment, sports, business, politics, and even religion … our society idolizes celebrities. Paul’s comment in verse 6 is a reminder that celebrity status means nothing to God.
At best celebrity status is a distraction from what matters in leadership, at worst it is a distortion of true leadership. You see this today with Hollywood celebrities making brash and impetuous comments about American politics, and then receiving widespread support in social media. They are certainly entitled to their opinion, but their comments are not more (or less) true because they are famous. Indeed, in the kingdom of God, celebrity status brings with it greater responsibility to speak and act wisely and judiciously.
Proverbs speaks to this unattractive truth about human nature. People tend to show favoritism to the wealthy, and they tend to be dismissive of the poor: “The poor is disliked even by his neighbor, but the rich has many friends.” (Proverbs 14.20)
The book of James also makes it very clear that favoritism based on social status is not the way of the kingdom of God.
“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)
The point is not that the rich are categorically bad and the poor categorically good. There are wealthy people who are godly and poor people who are not. James’ point is that any judgments based on outward factors alone are wrong judgments, because they do not discern the heart. Only God can judge the heart, and we are wrong to usurp his place as judge.
James is very direct when he says that to favor the wealthy and powerful is to “make distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts.” The reference to “judges with evil thoughts” is a critique of motive, and it cuts to the heart of a prevalent human tendency to be image-conscious and self-centered.
People like to be associated with the wealthy and powerful and famous for two basic reasons: 1) They think it makes them look special by association. They think it enhances their image. 2) They hope to gain some benefit through their association with the wealthy or famous.
These are the “evil thoughts” that James is talking about.
Our motive for associating with people, especially in the church, should be fellowship and service, not image and benefit. James describes a scenario: A poor person comes into the fellowship. Not a person of notoriety or wealth, just a poor person with shabby clothing. How do we see that person? How do we respond to their presence? Do we treat them as special? Do we look at them as someone loved by the living God, and do we show them that love?
The human tendency, of course, is to see the poor person in shabby clothing as nothing special, and maybe even someone who annoys us or makes us uncomfortable or is the subject of whispered comments and gossip. And we certainly don’t “benefit” from the presence of the poor. They don’t enhance our image, and they can’t give much to our cause or agenda.
But then a wealthy person comes into the fellowship. Sharply dressed, obviously successful, well connected, maybe even well known. How do we see that person? How do we respond to their presence? Our comments about the presence of the rich or famous are quite different than our comments about the poor, and it reveals something about the condition of our hearts. “Did you see who is here today? Wow, that is cool!”
Do we treat the rich and famous as somehow more special? Do we give them an extra measure of God’s love? If that is how we think, it is wrong judgment, and it is evil. Galatians 2.6 and Romans 2:11 say it with clarity and brevity: “God shows no partiality.”
In many ways, I think, the Christian community needs to rediscover what it means to really love people. We need a renewal of the heart so that we see people the way the Lord sees them, and love people the way the Lord calls us to love them.
