James – Page 3 – Be Still…

James 3:1-12 – Be Careful What You Say!

Read James 3:1-12

Have you ever had your mouth washed out with soap? That was a familiar “threat” growing up when I would get a little mouthy with my mom. Apparently, I was “too big for my britches” on one too many occasions. I can tell you that the memory of what Safeguard soap tastes like is still a tangible memory for me! So is the lesson I learned, which meant even more to me when I realized it was Scripturally based.

God tells us in His Word that the tongue has incredible power, both good and bad. Here are a few examples. Ephesians 4:29: “Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.” Proverbs 15:4: “Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.” Psalm 34:13: “Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies!”

James 2:14-26 – Living Out Your Faith

Read James 2:14-26

James introduces this section by suggesting a problem he must have observed. “What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions?” Certainly we’d all agree that faith should show itself through deeds of loving service.

In a recent Bible study discussion, I marveled at my pastor husband, David’s comment about this text. He posed an interesting scenario of observing a discussion about faith between our author here, James, and the apostle Paul. We’d see two very faithful men with two very different perspectives. Is that a bad thing? After all, the gospels all talk about Jesus’ life and ministry from different viewpoints. When it comes to understanding our faith, these differences can be confusing.

James 2:1-13 – Prejudice

Read James 2:1-13

What a topic! Who ever said the Bible was not relevant anymore! We do tend to be judgmental over appearances (I don’t think it’s just me). I’ve heard tell of a pastor who, on his first Sunday in his new church, dressed in tattered clothes and entered the building like every other parishioner. You can imagine the anticipation in church that day was palpable as the people waited to hear the new preacher! What a surprise the congregation had when their pastor came from the shadows where he had been asked to wait and walked up to take his place behind the pulpit. He preached a compelling, wordless sermon that day.

James’ Jewish audience must have needed to hear about the dangers of prejudice. It isn’t a bad reminder for any of us. There has to be a healthy way to associate with people who are different from us. It’s easy to look at people and see them through the lens of some stereotype we’ve learned along the way. What helps me when I’m surrounded by people who look different than me (and in Mexico I am surely the minority) is to remember God loves them as much as he loves me.

James 1:19-27 – Listening and Doing

Read James 1:19-27

Remember James is teaching us how to live as followers of Christ. Wouldn’t the world look totally different if everyone put his wisdom into play? Let’s unpack these great reminders.

Listen before speaking. How many times have you rushed to respond to someone without letting them finish or even paying attention to what they said? I know I’m guilty of that and feel horrible when I catch myself. James is simply telling us to “be present” in all situations. We can avoid a lot of heartache when we pay attention and communicate effectively. This may be the gentle prompt you need right now to “slow down!”

James 1:9-18 – Humility

Read James 1:9-18

One of the basic themes of James’ letter is that God exalts the poor and humbles the rich. Why does he do that? It’s so only the humble can boast. Think about that for a second. When we allow God to work in our lives and give God the credit for what we have accomplished, our whole mindset shifts. Who gets the glory? Certainly not us, and rightly so.

Even Paul was clear on this. He told us he was glad to boast about his weaknesses because that showed God at work when he overcame times of adversity. Our text here in James is using the example of being poor and rich. James may be recalling Psalm 49:6 which reads, “They trust in their wealth and boast of great riches.” Think about some wealthy people you know. Do they humble themselves before God and give God the credit for their abundance? Or are they more like the one described by the psalmist?