Daily Meditations on the Bible / We stand with Israel
Now listen, you rich people…
With these five words, James begins a tirade against the “rich.” Those who live in the richest country in the world can easily lose sight of what it means to be “rich” in material terms. Even the poor are rich compared to some. But God does not oppose wealth for the sake of opposing wealth.
Continue reading “James 5: 1a – Rich or Greedy?”
When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?
In today’s passage, James provides three important points about the law and judging. Please remember that the “law” is what Jesus summarized in Matthew 22: 37-40:
Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.
Continue reading “James 4: 11c-12 – Courtroom of Life”
Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it.
Once again I am puzzled by James’ words. Maybe it is because it is late and I am having trouble focusing. Maybe in the daylight, it will make more sense. Maybe…
Maybe it is just a complex thought.
Which “law” is James talking about? As a leader of the Christian church, James was involved in the decision to avoid making Gentiles live under Old Testament rules or law.
Continue reading “James 4: 11b — Strange Words”
Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another.
What do you think of when you hear the word “slander?” Does it jump out at you as a bad thing? Do you know anyone who has ever been slandered? Have you ever been slandered?
Slander is a difficult word in English. If it is used at all it is either used in its legal sense which is very formal, or in a very casual sense that carries very little weight.
Continue reading “James 4: 11a – Slander”
Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
What kind of person are you? Are you extremely sensitive to the people around you? Are you sent into spasms of guilt simply because someone gives you a stern look? Or, are you one of those people who need to be whacked upside the head with a 2×4 so someone can get your attention? Whatever your personality type, God has some scripture written just for you.
As I look back over James’ letter, his passion for serving God correctly is clear. His understanding of God is acute and sharply honed. His method of sharing that understanding is somewhat akin to a Marine Corps Drill Sergeant barking orders at recruits.
Some people take offense at the bluntness of James’ approach. Yet everything he says is completely in line with the rest of God’s Word. The only difference is how he says it.
Continue reading “James 4: 9-10 — Preflight Checklist”
Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Way back in chapter 1, verses 6 – 7, James writes about the double-minded person. He says a person who doubts is “double-minded.”
The Greek for “double-minded” is interesting. The word is, “dipsychos.” The prefix, “di-“ means two, or double. To say one is “double-minded” is a very literal way of saying a person has divided interests. More than that, James suggests the division is spiritually debilitating.
As I look back on my life, it seems to me that I have always suffered from some form of dipsychos. This world is very convincing. It claims to be the only thing that matters. It clammers for my attention every day. Yet the clues God has given us to His presence are very real. They have tugged at me my whole life.
Continue reading “James 4: 8b — Cleansed”
Come near to God and he will come near to you.
I’ve always thought this statement to be a little bit odd. But then, I don’t think I have always thought about God the right way. If God is a stationary object, it makes sense (in a worldly sort of way) that if I get nearer to Him, He will be closer to me. But that is not what James says.
God doesn’t just wait for us to come to Him. He wants to be united with us. So he is very willing to come to us. Like the father in the parable of The Prodigal Son (Luke 15: 11-32) when God sees us coming home he comes out to meet us.
Continue reading “James 4: 8a — Closeness”
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Do you believe in the devil? As a kid, I remember being told “ghost stories.” Some of them were pretty scary! Some were scary and funny at the same time. All of them challenged my thinking about ghosts.
It was very common for little kids to challenge each other by saying, “You don’t believe in ghosts, do you?” It was always said in a taunting way that mocked the idea of ghosts. Many a time I agreed that I didn’t really believe in ghosts. The problem was when I was in church they were always talking about this being called the “Holy Ghost.” Everyone at church seemed to believe that the Holy Ghost was real, but … well … what was a ghost, anyway?
Continue reading “James 4: 7b — Running Scared”
Submit yourselves, then, to God.
Since God opposes the proud and favors the humble, do the right thing. As Jesus said to Paul in Acts 26: 14, it is hard to kick against the goads.
Goads are not something we know much about these days. They are common in rural areas where people still use animals for pulling carts or plows. If you want an animal to move when the animal doesn’t want to move you goad it. Basically, you poke at it with a sharp stick or a stick with an iron point. Wanting to get away from the pain, the animal moves. If it still doesn’t want to move, it might try and kick the goad away. That tends to hurt more.
God’s opposition to the ungodly is a goad. It is a pain that is intended to drive us toward God. More accurately, towards reliance on God. If we resist, we are kicking “against the goads.”
Why do we do that?
Continue reading “John 4: 7a — Goads”
That is why Scripture says:
“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.”
This scripture passage is a bit of a puzzle. James writes, “That is why…”
What is why?
What did I miss??
James was talking about fights and quarrels. About not receiving what we ask for, about having the wrong motives. He talks about being an enemy of God and adulterous. Then he writes, “That is why scripture says God opposes the proud…”
Why?
Why does God oppose the proud?
Like so many words in our language, “proud” has more than one meaning. The common usage is to feel pleased with what one has done. A blogging example might be, “I feel proud of the post I wrote yesterday.” The other definition has to do with having a high opinion of one’s self. This kind of pride leads to arrogance and an unwillingness to listen to others. It is this second kind of pride that God opposes.
The prideful person does not accept correction. They do not see a need for help. They do not think they need God. When it comes to God’s gift of grace, they reject it.
The humble person sees themselves for what they are. They know they need help. When God offers them grace, they accept it gratefully. (I wanted to say ‘gracefully.’ 🙂 )
If God opposes the proud, it is because the proud oppose God. James lists our shortcomings and points out our need for God. The humble recognize the truth in James’ words and are thankful for God’s grace.
Application: Take a personal inventory: What kind of pride do you see in your life? The pride of self-importance, or the pride of service rendered to God?
Food for Thought: How does God oppose the proud and favor the humble?
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Continue reading “John 4: 6b – Pride”