A Class on Classism
My dear brothers and sisters, fellow believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ—how could we say that we have faith in Him and yet we favor one group of people above another? Suppose an influential man comes into your worship meeting wearing gold rings and expensive clothing, and also a homeless man in shabby clothes comes in. If you show special attention to the rich man in expensive clothes and say, “Here’s a seat of honor for you right up front!” but you turn and say to the poor beggar dressed in rags, “You can stand over here,” or “Sit over there on the floor in the back,” then you’ve demonstrated gross prejudice among yourselves and used evil standards of judgment! James 2:1-4 TPT
Insight
How do we honor God in matters concerning money? When we venture to answer this question, we often start by assessing our relationship with our personal finances. Though it is critical to evaluate whether our private savings, spending, and giving are honoring to God, we must also assess how money colors how we see others. A lot of us have classist views that we rarely confront or challenge.
We all make snap judgments about others based on their socioeconomic status, often without realizing it. When we encounter people who are impoverished, we may assume they are lazy or uneducated. Alternatively, we may wrongly view “poor” individuals as charity cases or volunteer projects rather than children of the Living God. When we encounter rich individuals, we might jump to the conclusion that they are entitled, greedy, and out-of-touch. I will be the first to admit it: I have judged others harshly based on their financial status. A lot of it has to do with the condition of my heart. Hidden behind my classism is covetousness, guilt, and a discomfort reckoning with my own privilege.
How much wealth we possess does not determine our worth or moral goodness. Some of us view the poor as morally superior to the rich, or the rich as morally superior to the poor. No matter what our bank accounts look like, we are all sinners in need of a Savior (Romans 3:23). Jesus shed His blood for all of us, regardless of whether we are labeled as a “have” or “have-not” in our society.
During His earthly ministry, Jesus dignified greedy and wealthy people (e.g., tax collectors), inviting them to embrace humility and practice generosity. He elevated the poor, tending to their needs and reminding them of their inherent value in God’s eyes. He saw past the arbitrary dividing lines of class, race, and gender. He approached all people with love, patience, and respect. He calls us to do the same.
How much money each of us possesses has nothing to do with God’s favor for us. The cross proves that God loves us all the same. The cross proves that in His Kingdom, there is no such thing as “rich” or “poor” (Galatians 3:28). We are all heirs to the same eternal inheritance because of His rich grace and abundant mercy (Hebrews 9:15).
Reflection
Do you hold any biases against people with a certain socioeconomic class? Take a moment and ask God to give you His heart toward these individuals.
Prayer
Abba, thank you for calling me to lay down my prejudices at Your feet. Thank you for teaching me, day by day, how to see others as You do. Help me to be brave enough to confront the way I allow the socioeconomic status of others determine how I view them. Let me forsake my assumptions and treat all people with dignity and respect. Thank you for modeling what perfect love looks like. Thank you for blessing us all in equal measure with Your love. Help me turn and give equal love to everyone around me, regardless of how society might view them. Amen.
Port City writer Kate Redenbaugh wrote today’s devotional.