“My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favouritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, ‘Have a seat here, please’, while to the one who is poor you say, ‘Stand there’, or, ‘Sit at my feet’, have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?” (James 2:1-4)  We continue with James this week and we run right into some very strong words.  Once again, we see the connection between our beliefs and our actions.  The author equates showing favoritism to the wealthy with a lack of belief in Jesus.  Isn’t it amazing that the way in which we treat one another reveals our deepest beliefs?  We may say we believe one thing, but if our actions are contrary…well you know.  To believe that Jesus Christ is our elder brother is to accept the accompanying reality that all other Christians (regardless of their net worth) are our brothers and sisters.  There’s just no getting around that!  In other words, are you and I open to beholding Jesus in all the people who may cross our path?  Perhaps especially those with whom we seem to have little in common.  Can we see Jesus in the faces of the poor and the wealthy?