Not for what they do for us.

When we read the words of James, talking about his older half-brother Jesus, he’s inviting us to consider that we aren’t the best neighbors.

We like some people better than others.

And, James suggests, we do that because we think of what they can do for us. We use people. We gain status from people.

James wants us to imagine a gathering.

Twenty or thirty people are showing up at a large house for a Bible study. The owner of the house is working on the refreshments and asks a frie...