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James 4:11–17 (ESV)
11 Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12 There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor? 13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
A lot of Christians I know really enjoy reading James because in the letter, they find all kinds of useful bits of instruction which helps them live out their faith in Christ in real world terms.
This passage certainly fits that description as it contains three useful bits of instruction that we must take to heart.
The first bit of instruction is a warning in verses 11-12 not to become conceited and puffed up in faith, thinking that one is above others and in a position to judge those whom they deem are less than themselves. Apparently, in James’ context, there were those who thought that their righteousness exceeded others, and they felt free to openly talk about and judge those whom they deemed were not as righteous as themselves.
There is nothing that will tear apart a community of faith quicker than gossip, rumors, speculation, and judgementalism.
Worse still, James says, to do those things is to assume the place of God, and James asks who are we to think that we could ever assume the Lord’s place in the lives of others.
The second bit of instruction is in verses 13-16. James warns believers not to have a smug attitude about their plans for the future. To be clear, James isn’t against making money. What concerns James here is that the believers are focused on making money and doing business, and in the process, the Lord is taking a backseat in their lives. In other words, what they are doing is compartmentalizing their faith: their relationship with the Lord is paramount while at church, but not so much in their business plans.
James works to correct their thinking and reminds them that life is short and that they need to stay focused on the Lord and seek His plans and purposes for every aspect of their lives.
“If the Lord wills,” then we will do this today, or tomorrow, or this month, or this year.
The final bit of instruction is found in the last verse, and it’s stunning. It’s a reminder to fulfill our calling. We get that we need to put away our old sinful habits and practices, we understand that we need to constantly center our lives on Jesus and follow where He leads us, which means then, that we need to do the things which the Lord calls us to do. To not do them is a sin, a failure to humble ourselves before the Lord and follow where He leads us.
This may be a major life-decision, a question of your whole vocation and path in life. Or it may be the small spirit-given nudge to do a small act of kindness for a neighbor or stranger. But once you have had that nudge, that call, then to ignore it, to pretend you hadn’t heard, is a further act of pride, setting yourself up in the place of God.—N.T. Wright.
Many of you know that I often get up early to walk my dog around my neighborhood. It’s a good time for me to be in prayer and orient my heart and mind in the right direction. However, one morning, I found myself arguing with the Lord. You see, the night before, a very strong storm hit my neighborhood, overturning several trash cans.
As my dog and I were walking, we passed one of the overturned cans. I felt a nudge. I should take ten seconds and set that can back upright. But I kept walking and found that I was trying to justify myself to the Lord.
Why should I stop and set that can upright? It really wasn’t that big of a deal.
There wasn’t a mess to worry about. My neighbors could take care of their own garbage when they got up.
I continued walking and furthered my justification argument.
Besides, this is my quiet time, this is my time to pray for friends, family, for the church and its leaders, for other pastors, and for your people in the church Lord.
I continued to walk and argue with the Lord.
Not to mention I’m praying for folks who don’t know you, who need to know you, those who need to know your presence with them, your mercy, love and forgiveness. I’m praying for those folks Lord, I’m praying for my neighbors.
That’s all it took. I stopped and stood convicted. My argument was defeated, and humbled, I turned around, walked back to the overturned trash can and stood it back up, as well as every other trash can that was blown over as my dog and I continued our walk through our neighborhood.
Would that I would always be so responsive when nudged, convicted, and humbled.
Lord, in your mercy, lead us to lay aside our old sinful nature, to put on Christ, and to follow you with every breath we’re granted.
God bless you, and know that you are constantly in my prayers.
Scott
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