How You Value a Soul Reveals How You Value God's Mercy

James confronts the sin of showing favoritism by demonstrating how judging others based on worldly status reveals a failure to understand God's mercy. Such sinful judgment overlooks that those in hardship are often more receptive to grace, while the wealthy frequently oppress believers. Showing partiality violates God's law and demonstrates a lack of mercy, but believers are freed by the gospel to extend God's grace equally to all people regardless of their social standing.