Category: Tested Faith: A Study of James

James 1:23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: James 1:24  For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

Okay first of all let me go ahead and apologize for using such a controversially worded title to this blog post.  Promise that I didn’t just do it for mouse clicks 🙂

James in 1:22 encourages Believers to be doers of the Word (Scripture) and not just hearers.  This is followed up by an illustration of the hearer in 1:23-24 as someone who takes a quick glance in the mirror, then walks away and immediately forgets what he looks like.  Obviously that won’t happen physically (I hope) so allow me to apply this illustration to my own life.+

My morning used to always start this way

1. Wake up to the smell of coffee brewing and after hitting snooze at least twice, roll out of bed
2. Pour a cup of coffee and with my eyes still half-closed grab my Bible for devotions
3. Read at least three chapters (trying to read the Bible in a year) and attempt to find one major thought through all of them
4. Often don’t find a major theme, and even if I do, have a hard time remembering it during the day

The frustration with this eventually led me to stop reading three chapters of the Bible for devotions.  Instead I will normally read one (maybe two) and really focus on the words in that passage editors note: Will give some tips about how to do this tomorrow

The truth is I still go through a Bible reading program that covers larger portions of Scripture, but that’s done during free moments outside of devotions.

My reason for doing this is simple

You can’t remember truths from three chapters of the Bible

Now it isn’t possible to remember all the truths shared in one chapter either (sometimes it gives ten ideas or more) but taking fifteen to twenty minutes on one chapter of the Bible gives time to actually meditate on what those verses are saying.

Far too often in life I find myself like the hearer in James 1:23-24 who rushes into the presence of God with thousands of different things on his mind (none of them Scripture) then asks God to bless him and quickly rushes out of the Lord’s presence…giving no time for the Holy Spirit to speak.

Of course our insanely busy world with the never-ending to do list means it’s not possible to think about, and seriously meditate on large passages of Scripture…and on a personal note trying to do this for all the thoughts in three-chapters would result in information overload anyways.

So we need to read less

On slower days this means two chapters

On other days one chapter

Or maybe twenty-verses

Or ten-verses

Or maybe even just one!

The important thing is that we set aside time to pray through, meditate on, and apply those verses to our lives.  That way the Holy Spirit can bring that truth back to us later in the day…and we won’t be forgetful hearers.

James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

I’m probably a bit prejudiced, but as far as I am concerned, my brother and his wife are the best parents in the world (other than my mom and dad of course).  Their awesome parenting can be seen in many ways, but of course the clearest is the lives of my niece and nephew who (again in my opinion) are the greatest kids in the world…and yes having such an amazing uncle probably has something to do with it 🙂

In all seriousness I do admire the way they keep things under control with two young children in the house.  Interestingly enough they do use what’s today referred to as “corporal punishment”  but most of the time a simple phrase or name being called is enough to bring obedience.  One of their favorites to use when my niece or nephew act up is “listen and obey please.”

Now that small phrase seems unimportant at first but it includes three very important parts

1. Listen:  Stop what you are doing and pay attention to me (usually the child’s name is used to get their attention as well
2. And Obey:  Do what I am asking you to do right away (the idea of consequences coming if they disobey is implied)
3. Please:  The request is being made in a polite, gracious spirit instead of anger

James in 1:22 is basically echoing the words my brother uses “listen (be not just a hearer) and obey (but a doer) please.”  And he has the same reason for using that phrase as my brother and his wife.

Listening is not enough

We all as children went through the experience of our mind beginning to wander during a lecture from our parents till their voice eventually became that of Charlie Brown’s teacher (wah wah wah) till our parents “are you listening to me!” snaps us back to reality (of course we say yes).  And then if your parents are smart (and they usually are) the next question is “what did I just say?”  which will result in lots of a um’s and uh’s from us.

With the addition of the word “obey” things are changed because the emphasis isn’t on transfer of information but DOING SOMETHING WITH THE INFORMATION!  For instance my brother or sister-in-law will say the child’s name with something they want them to do followed by “listen and obey.” (________________ you need to finish your sandwich, listen and obey please).

As amazing as it may seem the word of God can sometimes become like Charlie Browns teacher, and among the wah wah’s we cannot hear the Holy Spirit saying “listen and obey.”  Which is why we need to focus less on listening to the word of God (reading, hearing, gathering info) and more about what we DO with it.

James 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

As a teen I started looking for an anger release that wasn’t done in violence, or an overwhelming frustration like ὀργή in James 1:20.  After trying a few options (and finding they didn’t work) I decided on using a simple sigh.

Little did I know that sigh would become the thing that I’m most famous for (at least according to my family)

At the beginning my sigh was just a short burst of air from pent-up frustration (almost recognizable) however over the years it’s grown into what my niece calls an “Uncle John Sigh.”  It’s technically still a sigh, but has continued to grow louder, and stronger to the point where it’s pretty much a way to get attention.

The normal use of an Uncle John Sigh goes something like this

1. I’m having a bad day and getting annoyed so I sigh a little bit (so people will notice and I can tell them about the bad day I had)
2. Nobody notices so I give a slightly stronger sigh
3. This continues till I give out a sigh so loud and powerful it sounds (and feels) like a train is passing through the room
4. At this point somebody would ask “is anything wrong?” to which I of course respond “no I’m fine” and then sigh even louder

The Uncle John Sigh began as something simple, and even good because it was originally meant to be a HEALTHY response to frustration.  But once it became about attention instead of actually relieving stress the good thing basically became a “song and dance routine.  Today my family knows the Uncle John Sigh is coming when my brother gives me an especially hard time, and actually look forward to hearing it.  So any kind of air escaping my lips is met with “is that an Uncle John sigh?”

James in 1:21 warns the Christians about “superfluity of naughtiness” which is an abundance of wickedness, or a response to suffering that involves uncontrolled anger.  This makes sense to us, but James also warns them about “filthiness” or smaller sins.  The reason why is that small filthiness that most people cannot see will eventually become an abundance of wickedness.

Of course in the case of my Uncle John Sigh what began as a small form of rebellion continued to grow until it became something that obviously didn’t bring honor to God.

James point is simple

Be very careful about even the smallest way that you respond in anger or hostility towards God…because before you know it….that small thing will have grown out of control.

James 1:20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

James in this verse uses a pretty cool Greek word for wrath called “ὀργή according to a common Greek dictionary this is the words definition:

3709. ὀργή orge, or-gay´; from 3713; properly, desire (as a reaching forth or excitement of the mind), i.e. (by analogy), violent passion (ire, or (justifiable) abhorrence); by implication punishment: — anger, indignation, vengeance, wrath. (Strong’s Greek Dictionary)

So James in this verse isn’t warning Christians about being a little angry or frustrated, he is warning them about a violent and uncontrollable anger (imagine an emotional volcano just waiting to explode).

It’s easy for us to read a verse like this and think to ourselves “oh I would never get that angry” but that’s the danger of ὀργή.  It usually isn’t one thing that brings the anger, but the combination of many small frustrations stacked on top of each other till something incredibly insignificant (like someone asking you to pass the salt) becomes the tipping point.

I was reminded of how ὀργή sneaks up on me while traveling back to St. Vincent.  My flight from Charlotte to Miami ended up being delayed, which gave me about thirty-minutes to get to my gate, and board the plane.  Of course this still gave plenty of time to get there (and they would hold the plane for me since it was traveling to Barbados) but I was still interested in getting off as soon as possible.

Unfortunately I happened to be in the back of the plan which is bad news.  For those who may not know it’s considered common courtesy to allow the person in seats in front of you to get up and obtain their carry on luggage instead of moving past them.  Being in the back meant I was forced to wait for almost everyone else in the plane to get their luggage out of the overhead compartment before getting off.

And of course they happened to be (in my mind) the slowest individuals on the face of the earth.

In the five to ten minutes I waited to get off my anger level grew considerably

• It began calmly enough (hmm seems like these people are moving a little slow)
• But soon I was looking at my watch and had my perturbed sigh going
• Which was followed by a rolling of the eyes and shaking of the head
• Then of course came the impatient foot tapping
• And before you knew it my mind was screaming “move people move!”

James 1:19  Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person hbe quick to hear, islow to speak, jslow to anger;

Recently after long day of traveling and layovers I was waiting with a friend for our final connection excited about finally being able to get some sleep.  As we entered the terminal the airline informed customers on a particular flight that it had been cancelled, and more information would be given in an hour and a half.

As you can imagine this resulted in frustration from the customers waiting for that flight (mostly groaning and shaking of heads) but one women got VERY irate this happened

She proceeded to go on a ten-minute profanity laced tirade demanding her “rights” and getting other people irate as well.  Visits from airline personnel and security did little to calm things down.

Suddenly about fifteen minutes before my flight was supposed to leave they announced the flight that had been cancelled was now LEAVING.  This was followed by an announcement that my flight was cancelled, and more information would be given in about an hour.  Slowly my friend leaned over to me and whispered “I think they gave her our plane!”  Editors note:  I should point out these were small commuter planes and not large ones

My first response to their giving my plane to someone else was frustration, especially since the reason they gave it away was to get rid of the angry woman.  However the more I thought about it, the last angry I became.

Because that’s how it works in the world

If life isn’t fair you scream, yell, and cuss people out while demanding your rights and they will give you what you want.  While It may not be as obvious as giving someones plane away the examples are all around us.

Which is why the command of James to be slow to speak (giving the idea of self-discipline) is such a wonderful thing. 

The world is filled with people who respond to the slightest offense as if their constitutional right has been forcefully removed going from calm to furious in seconds.  But if in the midst of the foot stomping, profanity, and self-indignation they see someone who is calm it makes an impact.

What’s wrong with you?

Your not yelling or angry at anybody

Your not demanding your rights

Your just sitting there calmly

What do you have that I don’t have?  The answer of course is Jesus

James isn’t encouraging us to become pushovers that everyone can take advantage of in life.  Instead his point is our first response to hardship should be bringing our emotions under control and asking “how can God use this for His Glory?”