Oh, to dig into God’s Word. Rich doesn’t begin to describe how valuable and wonderful it is.
Knowing the history of the author of the books and the culture of the day actually increases its applicability for my life today. Often I look at my friends around me and how they live their lives without God. If they could see God from the deepest parts of the Bible, they couldn’t do anything but be head over heals in love with Him. Yet, when I’m not learning more and more about Him and experiencing Him in my life, my picture of Him lacks luster and other things or people grab my attention.
In this weeks verses I learned some things that aren’t obvious in the text that I hope to convey to you in a way that excites you, too.
The text is so practical and full of wisdom. Yet, there are many examples in this passage, because of where James was coming from, add punch to the words.
As we shared before, James was Jewish. Growing up Jewish, James knew the Old Testament and the traditions, and many traditions they have. And James is addressing his teachings to a Jewish-Christian audience. Coming from this perspective, Let me get started and hopefully I can share my heart in a clear way.
How many times did we hear our mom’s remind us that we should listen before we speak. And to add to that, we shouldn’t let our anger get the best of us. James adds that “man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.” When we are young in our faith, it is often hard to separate our human responses to the responses God calls us to have. Man, can I get mad at the simplest things! And then I, for a long time thought it was wrong to be angry if you were a Christian. The more I get into the Bible the more I see the fallacy of both of those reaction.
So what is righteous anger? When should I be anger? What do I do with my anger when it rears its ugly head? Don’t ask me, I have no idea!! Just kidding…sort of. I’m still learning how to deal with it. It is one of my weak-spots. But I do know that I can’t get it under control fully on my own. Now I don’t want to use the excuse, “That’s just how God made me.” or “The devil made me do it.”
Darn it, both of those are lame excuses. But as we discussed last week, according to James, we can ask God for wisdom and he will give us a boat-load without finding fault for asking. And when I do that, He comes through every time.
It’s fascinating to me that we can be on fire for God and then we get comfortable or lazy or distracted and we don’t let what he has for us sink in. We hear sermons, we read His Word, yet it doesn’t change us. But then, change is hard! We might have to sacrifice something dear to us. We might get uncomfortable. We might be convicted. But as my husband says, “‘Mights’ grow on chicken’s rear ends.” 🙂 (Well, he doesn’t quite say it that way.)
Also, how often do we just try to be better to please God? I don’t know about you, but I need his help. When was the last time you talked to God about changing? Not just gloating a little when you’re making a bit of progress, or whining and wailing in remorse because you blew it…again…and again…and again? He wants to help us. He LOVES to help us mature! HELLO! He sent his Son to give us life…to the full. Asking for his help is easy, breezy compared to that. He’s already given us the Holy Spirit. (Just so you know, that last paragraph was for me and you just got to listen in. LOL)
And then, as we change and do, we get blessed. We get blessed? Yes. Putting two and two together, James surely was familiar with the Sermon on the Mount recorded in Matthew. He heard Jesus say over and over, “Blessed are those who…”
And He’s the one who empowers us to change! What a deal that is! Now His help doesn’t release us from our own hard work, so we need to make sure we have our workout clothes on. Ha Ha! Maybe that is what the armor of God is. 🙂
I love how James describes the law as the “perfect law that gives freedom”. I don’t think of laws as freeing. They feel confining. Yet, this one doesn’t. That is probably because of who the Author of that law is! I want to look at that intently! When we’re intentional, we can’t just sit on the couch to hope we see it. Sometimes we have to get on our hands and knees to see it clearly. Let’s not give up when we don’t seem to be making progress or when we are frustrated by others around us.
It seems the toughest work is with our(my) tongue. And here James say that if we haven’t gotten our tongue under control, then anything we profess about our faith is worthless. Ouch! Not just hindered, but worthless. And that going to church regularly, praying, studying the Bible isn’t helpful unless we are looking after orphans and widows and keeping ourselves from being polluted by the world.
To introduce this next section, James refers to Jesus as “our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. Such a powerful description of who he is. In our study this week, Beth Moore shared with us how this description may be referring to the word “glorious” in a broader sense than just that he was incredible. In the old Testament, God made his presence known by the presence of the ‘Shekinah’ glory. This was represented by the ‘pillar of fire’ at night and the ‘cloud’ during the day that led the Israelites through desert for 40 years. It also showed up in the tabernacle and temple. Again, James would have heard about the ‘Shekinah’ glory many times over the course of his life. And here it seems he is showing us another example of his half-brother’s ‘ deity by giving us this descriptive word added to the powerful words, ‘Lord’ and ‘Christ’. Isn’t that an incredible thought! James was convinced! That helps confirm it for me!
Another clear example of our lack of true faith is when we show favoritism. At this time, it seems these believers were favoring the wealthy over the poor. They were impressed by their showy dress, there ‘bling’, as it were. Yet at the same time, the wealthy were exploiting them and slandering God. Here they are insulting the poor, who seemed to be sincere, and stupidly be impressed with the deceitful wealthy.
James is asking them to be wise! In other parts of the Bible, it charges us to not show favoritism either way…to the wealthy or to the poor. We are love everyone…and when we do, we are doing right. When we don’t we are NOT pleasing God. And we will be judged by how we have judged. It says in James 2:13, “because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.” Makes sense.
Such practical instruction from James. I hope it blesses you like it has blessed me!
Lord, forgive me for the times that I rest in my knowledge of you, but don’t let it change my life. How foolish of me to be comfortable knowing about you and missing the knowing you. Thank you for the wonderful insights from James. I am in awe of how you orchestrate this life on our behalf. I will listen more this week, check my anger at the door and seek to help those in need. Holy Spirit, make room in my heart for this. Whatever I need to get rid of to make room for what you have in store for me, I ask you to show me.
In the most precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Glory. Amen
Next week’s assignment:
January 28-February 3 – James 2:14 – 3:18
Digging Deeper 