What does James 2:5 mean?

James still calls his Christian readers "beloved," though he is rebuking them for giving favor to rich people over those who are poor. He began this section by urging Christians not to show partiality, painting a picture of what illicit favoritism looks like in practice.

In the culture of these early Christians, it would be perfectly normal to give a wealthy man a place of honor at a gathering. It would be equally typical to expect a poor, dirty man to stand in the corner, or to sit on the floor. James insists, though, that our belief in Christ should change the way we treat everyone. We must not let the prejudice of culture, or the allure of money, to determine our standards.

In fact, demonstrating favoritism for the rich over the poor reveals that we don't really trust what we claim to believe. In this verse, James makes his point with a very specific question: Hasn't God chosen some who are poor in this life to be rich now in faith and rich forever in His kingdom? Isn't that the promise He makes to those who love Him?

Every Christian reading James's words should answer "yes." That's what we believe. But if that's what we believe, James asks, why don't we treat each other that way when we get together? Why don't we treat poor Christians with the same respect, honor, and attention we give to the wealthy ones?