It is common, in some parts of the world, for storekeepers to have various pricing levels based upon the storekeeper’s preferences. For instance, the lowest price is given to family members. The next lowest price is given to people of close association. The more remote the association between storekeepers and customers, the higher the price.
While this type of business partiality may be acceptable or rejected, showing partiality in general is a form of bias and prejudice. Prejudice is a destructive social force and harmful to all. However, it cannot be stopped simply by prohibiting it or even through education. It is a deeper and stronger force than that.
James 2:9-10 says, “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.” Clearly God abhors bias and prejudice.
But this still doesn’t tell us how we can love our neighbor as ourselves. I John 2:5 gives us the answer: “but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought also to walk in the same way in which he walked.” God’s love is made complete and perfect in us as we seek to walk in His ways. He actually works in us and through us to show His love to others. He removes the selfishness and gives us the power to give sacrificially to others, as He did for us. We can then forsake the prejudices that have kept us back from fully loving others.
Reluctant Retiree 