324. ARE YOU GUILTY OF HAVING RESPECTER OF PERSONS?

(The Information & Edification Series – Batch 11)

Admittedly, I am disliked by many people, in many circles. Some think so lowly of me, that believe it or not, even if I respectfully acknowledge them in passing, they ignore me and pretend that I do not exist. Even among people who claim to know Christ, they ignore me in different spheres. They may be polite in passing and greet me when I greet them because they feel compelled to but they avoid my social media page like the plague, ensuring that they show no support whatsoever, no matter what I publish.

For many, I am considered to be unimportant and expected to just sit in a corner and be silent. After all, I have not been graced up to this point with marriage and children, as many of them have been and have not had a stable and lucrative job throughout the years. I have had upheavals which they have all witnessed and this has led to a demotion of me in their minds. I have also made mistakes in my life and sinned against God in different ways and for some, this is reason for me to be perpetually in the doghouse, never to rise again.

Indeed, I am not expected to shine, my being an outcast and anytime I do, people get upset. How dare me? Why is it that I refuse to accept my place at the bottom? After all, I am not popular, I don’t have much influence and people generally ignore me. I don’t have land, a house, a car, a husband, children and am not in a big-time job with a large salary. How is it then that I can still operate as if I have inner worth, significance and value? Why do I still behave as if (shockingly) I am special?

Indeed, although I struggle with the level of rejection I receive at times because everyone likes to be liked and accepted, I must accept that I may never be liked by the masses and that I will never be popular, not at work, not in society, not in family circles and not even among professing Christians.

Yet, I am a Princess, me being a child of The Most High King and that gives me licence to walk boldly, to do great exploits by his enabling power and to still live joyously, although people consider me to be nothing. While I have definitely been rejected by many, I am accepted in the beloved (Ephesians 1:6) and am royalty, which no one can change! 1 Peter 2:9 tells me “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.”

That being said, while I expect to see condescension in the world and disparity in treatment between the rich, influential, beautiful and popular and those who are not considered as falling into one or more of these categories, it breaks my heart whenever I see respecter of persons among God’s people. It hurts to see some persons elevated while others are considered to be nobodies. This ought not to be in the body of Christ! Our thinking ought to be different if we claim to know Him and his Word, the Bible. Sadly though, from my own experience throughout the years and my own observations, respecter of persons very much exists among those who claim to be Christians.

On 10th July, 2025, in discussing with a professing believer and extended family member, the difference in the level of support reached out to two women when they had become engaged, he took the view that one received support from many people because of who she was (she was outgoing, well-liked and popular), whereas the other was not. Whereas many people showed support for the Wedding of the previously engaged individual, a good number of persons indicated that they would not be in attendance at the second, different excuses having been offered for their absence.

After ending the call, I thought on what the person I was speaking to on the phone had said and on people’s behaviour. I knew first hand that this disparity in treatment existed among God’s people. According to who was involved, professing believers behaved in one way for people they considered to be popular but another way when it came to those they considered to be the opposite.

I disagreed though, that those considered popular should be treated better than those who were not considered popular and as if they were of some higher pedigree, especially where the persons involved were professing Christians and therefore equally important in God’s sight. Passionate about what I knew was right, I sent the following WhatsApp to the person I had been liaising with, looking for verses online and sending them as I typed:

“Here is another twist: What you call “popularity”, I call “respecter of persons”. We hold some in high regard (make them popular) and some as not (the unpopular). As I always say, there are dogs and there are dignitaries. People like to be with the crowd so if they see that someone is popular (held in high regard and not necessarily because they are nice), they want to be a part of that. If someone is not popular (no matter how nice), they are ashamed to associate with that and avoid that person.

That is how we as sinful human beings are. There ought to be no respecter of persons in the body of Christ and in families, no cliquishness, no condescension but it exists.

God does not have respecter of persons the Bible says and neither should we but we do. We esteem who we want and ignore who we want. Romans 2:11 says “For there is no respect of persons with God.” James 2:8-9 states “If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin…”

Having two boxes in our minds therefore and putting some in one box called “important” and the rest in the box of “not important” is sin, especially if the people we are putting in the boxes have been blood-bought and blood-washed by Jesus Christ and are therefore both equally important.

James 2: 1-4 reads:

• “My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in a goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou here, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?”

Finally (sorry for the long text), Leviticus 19:15 states “Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.”

Also, in Acts 10:34-35, it says “Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.”

More verses: (I am busy looking for them online): “To have respect of persons is not good: for for a piece of bread that man will transgress.” Proverbs 28:21. Colossians 3:25: “But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.”

Having sent the above message to the person on WhatsApp, today, in surfing Facebook, I came across a post on someone’s page from a guy who, although he had lived a notoriously bad life and was from a crime-ridden area, had professed to believe in Jesus Christ after he became paralyzed and his life seemed to have been completely transformed. Instead of living the life that he did prior, he was now preaching the gospel and sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, from his wheel chair!

When I saw what he had posted, I realized that it was on the same topic that I had written on a few days ago and so I decided to share it here, it being beautifully expressed. The guy, K. Charles, wrote:

“STOP PLAYING FAVORITES IN CHURCH!!

Some of y’all are so busy catering to your “favorites” that you’re pushing other people right out the door. You know what I’m talking about: The ones you laugh with, text, invite out to eat and cheer for…while others sit right next to you week after week, feeling overlooked, uninvited, and unwanted.

That’s not ministry. That’s cliquishness. And it’s killing the Church.

Romans 2:11 says, “For there is no respect of persons with God.” So if God doesn’t play favorites, why do you? Don’t say you’re walking in love when you’re only loving the ones who benefit you. Don’t claim unity when your circle is closed. Don’t preach grace and then treat people like they have to earn your attention.

You see the ones struggling. You see the ones sitting alone. You see the ones who don’t “fit in.” And the truth is they see you too. They see how different you act around the wealthy, the polished, the well-connected. And they feel it.

You’re not just ignoring people, you’re hurting them. Favoritism in the church sends a loud message: “You’re not one of us.” And don’t be shocked when people stop showing up, not because they were weak but because they were never truly welcomed.

Let me say it plainly:

• If you only encourage the popular, you’re not walking in the Spirit.
• If you only serve those who give the most, you’ve missed the Gospel.
• If your church feels like a social club more than a spiritual family, something is deeply wrong.

Ministry isn’t about status it’s about souls. And if you can’t love the poor, the awkward, the broken or the unfamiliar, you’re not representing Christ.

This isn’t about being nice. This is about being righteous. This is about aligning your heart with God’s heart. And His heart is for everyone, so check yourself. Check your circle and check your heart because if the only people you’re clapping for are the ones who make you look good, you’re not serving God, you’re serving your ego.

…Let’s do better. No more favoritism. No more spiritual popularity contests. Be the one who notices the unnoticed. Speak to the one no one talks to. Love like Jesus without picking and choosing.”

(Written on 19th July, 2025)

Dear Reader, if you found the above Article to be interesting, informative, beneficial or edifying, you may also be interested in reading the following:

• Note 157 – ‘Cliques – An Enemy Of Unity In The Church’
• Note 233 – ‘Popularity vs Peculiarity’
• Note 85 ‘ – ‘When A Sister Or Brother In The Church Rejects You’
• Note 34 – ‘They Are Ashamed Of Me’
• Note 106 – ‘They Can Think Whatever They Like – God Will Do Whatever He Pleases’
• Note 108 – ‘Favouritism Comes From Man But Favour Comes From God‘
• Note 90 – ‘Who I Am…In Jesus Christ’
• Note 182 – ‘How It Feels To Be On The Wanted List’
• Note 176 – ‘How You Gonna Curse Who God Has Blessed?’
• Note 35 – ‘Because That For This Thing, The Lord Thy God Shall Bless Thee…’

Also, under the ‘VIRTUOUS Daughters’ page:

• Note 14 – ‘People Hate Your Shine – What Should You Do?’
• Note 2 – ‘Woman, You Have Worth!’
• Note 8 – ‘Your Royal Lineage – Daughter Of Dignity’
• Note 13 – A Virtuous Woman’s Immense Worth’

Additionally, under the ‘BROKEN Daughters’ page:

• Note 22 – ‘After Repentance, Must You Wear A Perpetual Badge Of Shame?’
• Note 77 – ‘That Is Why I Walk In Royalty’
• Note 19 – ‘What Jesus Thinks Of You Is All That Matters’
• Note 69 – ‘You Are Beautiful And Incredibly Valuable’

Finally, under the ‘SINGLE Daughters’ page:

• Note 193 – ‘God Calls Me Hephzibah’
• Note 195 – ‘When God Promises To Write-On A Write-Off’
• Note 197 – ‘Left For Dead – Then Resurrected’
• Note 171 – ‘If That Tree Could Talk’