Thoughts on James 5: Rich and Poor

James, in characteristic fashion, chews out the rich.  It is tempting to say he chews out the rich for being rich, but a closer reading of the text indicates that he is chewing them out for how they became rich and what they do with their riches.  They became rich by abusing their employees and now that they are rich, they don't do any good with their riches.  This leads me to believe that it is possible to be  both rich and godly.  It also leads me to believe that the vast majority of the rich aren't godly.  It is simple economics.  To accumulate money, you need to sell more than it costs you to produce what you are selling.  In a competitive marketplace there is the additional pressure to have lower costs in order to sell more of your product.  One of the easiest ways to lower costs is to reduce the cost of labor--that is, pay your employees less.  If you don't do this, depending on your specific market, you are likely to not make much money and not become rich in the first place.  So, it is far easier to become rich if you behave in a fashion that James objects to.  It isn't impossible, but it is much harder. 

So, what does one do in a capitalistic society as a Christian?  I guess we shouldn't focus on getting rich.  If God blesses us with wealth through our ethical behavior, then we should continue our ethical behavior and do good with that blessing. 

But the reality is that most Christians who live according to Christian principles will not be wealthy.  Most of us will be abused by our employers and suffer from unjust social structures.  (This is more true in the non-western world.)  For believers in those circumstances, James encourages us to keep our mind on the end game.  Earth isn't our home and it isn't where we will be rewarded.  Grumbling about the current world, especially against fellow believers, won't actually do any good.  There are ways to appropriately fight injustice, but that isn't the same as grumbling. 

Thoughts on James 4: When to call others out

James is blunt.  He does not mince words. 

• If you vacillate between your love of God and love of the world, you are an adulterer.  
• Weep in repentance for being double-minded.  
• Your life is nothing but a puff of smoke.  
• If you don't know do what you know the good thing is, you sin.

It is interesting that the same author who warns his readers about guarding their tongues is so forthright in his admonitions.  Apparently guarding ones tongue does not necessarily mean refraining from offending others.  James surely offended some of his readers.  But then in v.11 he admonishes not to speak against other believers.  So perhaps the conclusion here is that one can state principles bluntly, but not call individuals out on those principles?  Perhaps calling out individuals (in public, private is okay--see 5:19-20) is where one crosses the line because tearing someone down in public stems from personal internal passions (v.1)? I'm really not sure.

 What I do know is that James wants our focus to be on internal issues.  When we see pride in ourselves, we ought to "grieve, mourn, and weep" in humbling ourselves before God.  God, then, can lift us up.

Thoughts on James 3: Not many should be teachers

For the past 23 years I have been a teacher in some capacity or another.  The past few months I think is the longest stretch where I haven't taught since I was a teenager.  So, every time I read James 3:1, it makes me cringe a little.  I don't cringe because I don't want to believe it.  I cringe because I know just how true it is.  You not only face the daunting task of taming your tongue, but everything you say is magnified due to a forced audience.

I get queasy every time I think about the various improper things I have said in front of my students.  I regret a lot and am often on the verge of despising myself for all of my many mistakes. 

And yet, as I write this, I also know that I am actually a pretty good teacher.  I do have a gift for explaining complex things in ways that others find easier to understand.  But, I also know that I don't want to teach right now.  I don't think I am in a place mentally or spiritually where I can adequately guard my tongue.  I think this is the point of James 3:1.  As a teacher, all the normal damage that can be done with your tongue is amplified. 

So, what should be coming out of our mouth?  I think the attributes of wisdom that James expresses in vv. 13-18 is a good start.  I want to attain that kind of wisdom before I get back in front of a class of any kind.

Thoughts on James 2: Showing favortism in the church

I have far too many thoughts for the amount of time I have to write today.  In fact, I am in the early stages of writing a book based on vv. 1-9.  So, yes, I have a lot of thoughts.

Many of these thoughts were triggered by my first experience being at a church where I wasn't known by the credentials of my father and grandfather (both pastors).  I grew up doing ministry.  For me, that was always what it meant to be part of a church.  I couldn't really envision being a part of a church without being active in ministry.  Then I started going to a church while attending graduate school.  I was treated as a second-hand citizen, probably due to a combination of being single and being socially awkward.  I received snide remarks from members.  Even the well-intentioned ones acted in ways that belittled me.  This church wanted to start a new ministry in an area where I had experience starting and running a similar one.  I offered my services.  The pastors rejected them. This left a mark on me and it still hurts to think about it.

Upon thinking about it further over the years, I have been on both sides of the favoritism scale in churches.  I grew up being the favorite and receiving special treatment.  I never realized this until I was on the other side. 

I our churches, we need to be very careful about these things.  It is hard enough for a stranger to walk into a church.  How much harder is it for the stranger to be on the losing end of blatant favoritism?  Will that person enter back into those doors?  What type of long-term damage will be done?  Are we hindering people from entering the Kingdom?  For now, these are just some thoughts.

Thoughts on James 1: Looking in the mirror

James is a very dense book.  Dense in that there are several take-away points in every chapter.  The first chapter is no exception.  A few years ago, when I was attending a small church, the pastor went on a brief sabbatical and I filled in for five weeks behind the pulpit.  I pulled five sermons out of the first chapter of James, and I could have easily done more than that.

Right now I am going to focus on vv. 19-27 (and will probably do the rest of the chapter in future years as I hopefully remain faithful to this blog and continue to revise my chapter-by-chapter thoughts), mostly because those are the verses most applicable to my own life at the moment. 

One of the primary reasons I made the commitment to write thoughts several days a week on a chapter of the Bible was that I found myself slacking in my own study.  I would do the reading, but it wouldn't seep in.  I was looking in the mirror and then forgetting what I looked like.  It was affecting my life.  I was becoming bitter with my life circumstances.  Since I started this practice, I do recognize a shift in my mindset.  While I can't say that I'm joyful with my life circumstances yet, I'm not bitter now either.  It has significantly helped my marriage.

Perhaps the biggest struggle for me was guarding my tongue.  As James points out in v. 26, my religion became futile.  Considering that most of my human interaction since my wife and I moved is with my Hindu in-laws, this was a problem.  I generally reserve speaking about living with Asperger's to my other blog, but I think this verse is particularly important with those of us who profess Christ living on the autism spectrum.  Neurologically, we have a propensity to not hold our tongue.  We tend to speak whatever is on our mind and offend people while doing it.  We then use our neurological framework as an excuse.  That isn't what God wants.  We are as responsible for holding our tongues as anyone else is.  Just because it is harder for us, doesn't mean we shouldn't do it.  Those not on the spectrum generally have a harder time neurologically following rules than we do, but that doesn't mean that they don't have to follow rules.  Holding our tongue is the hard part for us, but we are still responsible for doing it. 

We all need to take an honest look at ourselves in the mirror and, in the light of Scripture, evaluate where we are and where we need to be.