Sadly, this happens far too often in the local church - especially the ones that have to meet demanding budgets. The rich get away with most anything, from gossip to more egregious sin, because, at the end of the day, the bottom line of ministry is money. Paying the bills. And you can't pay the bills when you confront the big givers for their sin!

Another perspective on this verse: Not only are we doing a disservice to the poor among our flocks when we esteem the rich, we are doing a disservice to the rich by paving the way for them to be innoculated from humility and the hardships of church life that are intended to teach perseverance.

James 2:3