The Liverpool Homeless Football Club has helped hundreds of people since it began in 2007. “Without LHFC I would not be alive today,” says a girl who was forced into homelessness. A man suffering with PTSD shares, “They are my family; thanks to them my life is getting better.”
One of the founders explains that the football club makes such a difference because no matter who comes for help—or what addictions, troubles or backstory they bring with them—“we see them all as footballers first.” Their football pitch gives everyone equal value, purpose and opportunity to grow.
In the New Testament, James emphasised this kind of mindset when he wrote that believers in Jesus should treat everyone in the same way. Concerned that the rich were being favoured over the poor (James 2:1–3), he warned, “have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?” (v. 4).
For us in church, we should see everyone as needing mercy first, for as James says, “mercy triumphs over judgement” (v. 13). If we focus on the differences and problems that arise in community life, we can be tempted to judge and discriminate. But when, with God’s help, we view others from a perspective of mercy, we recognise that everyone needs compassion; we look at them through the eyes of Jesus. And then we can give hope and provide a place of welcome to whoever crosses our threshold.
By Chris Wale
REFLECT & PRAY
When are you most likely to be judgemental? How can you ensure you exhibit mercy in your attitude and actions?
Merciful God, I praise You for the grace You have shown me. Help me to be welcoming and compassionate towards those I meet.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
When James accuses believers who show favouritism of being “judges with evil thoughts” (2:4), he’s likely alluding to the common tendency for courts to favour the rich. Judges were of higher social status and often didn’t hold persons of lower economic class in high esteem. Legal preference for the rich was even often written into the laws. Biblical law condemned such preferential treatment (Leviticus 19:15 ), however, and even Greek philosophers called out bias against the poor as immoral. But James pointed to the common tendency of people to instinctively show favouritism towards persons of elevated social status, perhaps out of a desire to benefit from their wealth. He suggested that trying to curry favour with the wealthy and powerful makes people no better than blatantly biased judges. Instead, he called believers to align with God’s high regard for society’s poor and marginalised (James 2:5).
Monica La Rose
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