I apologize this week’s entry is late…March Madness is upon us and some very good games slowed my writing. But I also didn’t want to rush this one because I think it’s an important Book and Chapter that I was covering. Hopefully you’ll agree that it was worth the wait.
James was the brother of Jesus, the eldest of his younger siblings (it is widely believed), and the author of the Book of James. Early in life he was not a believer in the idea that his older brother was, in fact, the Christ. And if you have a sibling, you can probably sympathize with that. But eventually he had a moment (similar to that of Paul) and came to be a prominent leader in the church. In fact, it is believed that he was the leader of the Christian church in Jerusalem up to the point of his death, after which the followers of Christ in that region fled prior to the Romans destroying the city. Like many other letters in the New Testament, this one is intended to coach and direct the early church as they were learning and growing in faith and changing their lifestyles. Today we’ll look at Chapter 1.
1 James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings.
2 Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
Verses 2-8 are actually my favorite verses of the Bible, which could have some influence on why I picked this book for my first Bible study. I think verses 2-4 somewhat speak for themselves. What I’d like to focus on in this portion is verses 5-8, talking about asking for wisdom. In particular, the portion that says “he must ask in faith without any doubting.” How often do we go in prayer just hoping that maybe we’ll be heard, but thinking we’ll probably be dealing with the situation on our own to some extent? Goes back to the idea of “God helps those who help themselves” I had discussed in a previous piece. When we go to the Lord asking for wisdom, ask specifically for what you need wisdom toward. When we ask for strength, ask specifically what that strength is for. When we ask for healing, ask specifically for what needs to be healed. And do all of these things with faith and without any doubting. Be confident in the power of God to deliver your needs. If you are doubtful and lack confidence in God, you “ought not to expect that (you) will receive anything from the Lord.” The final line about being double-minded and unstable, that should strike home for some of us. If we do not have confidence in God to deliver us when we pray and ask for wisdom, how can we claim to truly be a people of faith?
9 Now the brother or sister of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position; 10 but the rich person is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so also the rich person, in the midst of his pursuits, will die out.
These verses point out a common theme throughout the New Testament of the purpose and gift of being humbled. The word “humiliation” in verse 10 is also translated as “downfall,” and the purpose of that and verse 11 is to point out that our successes are short lived in this life and pass away when we die, but our trials build faith which builds our foundation in the kingdom of Heaven. This isn’t to say that being “rich” or successful in this life are bad things, it’s merely pointing out that all things will pass and we should rejoice in the failures we face in life, and use those to build our faith and reliance on God the father.
12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13 No one is to say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it has run its course, brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers and sisters. 17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. 18 In the exercise of His will He gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.
This section has a powerful verse that often gets overlooked and twisted around by people who are not Christian or take an anti-religious approach to life. Verse 13 points out that no one is tempted toward sin by God, for God cannot be tempted by such things and does not place that upon us. We are tempted by the weaknesses of our own minds and flesh, and succumbing to that temptation leads to sin and death. As humans we look for excuses and explanations for why we stumble and fall, and it’s natural that some would look to blame God for their shortcomings. But in the end, it is our own deficiencies that lead us down the path of sin. God gives us all “good and perfect gift(s) from above” that we may be blessed. As was seen in the Book of Job, God does not always have to protect us or shield us from the trials and temptations of the world, but if we are true and righteous and honor Him through those trials, we will be rewarded through His justice.
19 You know this, my beloved brothers and sisters. Now everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; 20 for a man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore, ridding yourselves of all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. 22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not just hearers who deceive themselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; 24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. 25 But one who has looked intently at the perfect law, the law of freedom, and has continued in it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an active doer, this person will be blessed in what he does.
These verses carry some real weight in today’s world. Starting with 19-20 and the discussion of being quick to hear and slow to speak, how often are people “listening” to what someone else is saying not for the purpose of hearing them, but to hear when they have stopped talking so they can start their reply. Or often times not even waiting for that stoppage and interjecting in the middle of the other person’s talking. It’s something I’ve learned doing interviews for my podcast; how to just listen and let the other person talk. It’s a practiced skill, for sure. Knowing when to stop trying to think about what you’ll say next, and just hear what’s being said to you. Also, learning how to let go of something you might want to say because hearing out what the other person needs to say is more important. Conversation is a two way street, but we need to open up and allow the other person to have the right-of-way.
Being “slow to anger” as is discussed at the end of verse 19 and through 20 is a thing that was difficult for me for a long time. But it also kind of goes along with the conversation side of this and learning to be quiet and let go. “Ridding yoursel(f) of all filthiness” and setting aside that anger and those words opens your mind and heart up to humility, so that we may “receive the word implanted.” Which leads to some of the most important lines of the Bible, in my opinion; verses 23-24 which call us to be doers of the word. Not only do we need to quiet ourselves, let go of our anger, and listen and receive God’s word and call; but once we have received it we have a mandate, a call from God, to go out and act on that word and that call. Have you ever asked one of your children to do something, and they look you straight in the face and say “ok mom/dad” and then turn around and never think about it again? How do you, as the parent, feel when that happens? How would you expect our God and creator to feel when we hear His word and do nothing with it. We are not called as Christians to merely be listeners; we are called to action!
26 If anyone thinks himself to be religious, yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this person’s religion is worthless. 27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
One of the hardest lines for me, and something I’m trying to make a conscious commitment to working on (though I will admit I do not do well with it), is verse 26. Admittedly, this verse does not specifically or exclusively mean cursing…but it certainly hits home for me from that perspective. And it has been my experience that when a particular scripture is moving on you in a convicting way, maybe you should take the advice of verse 22 and be a doer of the word. Verse 27 is a basic call to action, but it doesn’t just mean “visit orphans and widows” and nothing else. We are to be servants and caretakers to those who are in distress, who are needy, who are suffering and experiencing the trials talked about at the beginning of the chapter. “Consider it all joy…when you experience various trials.” I would be willing to bet there have been people who have come alongside each and every one of us when we’ve been through those trials. And their friendship and companionship help achieve that perfect result God intended the trial to bring. So let’s go be people of action, to hear the word and be doers, and go come alongside our brothers and sisters in their time of trial and help them realize those perfect first fruits God is bringing them.