Advice from James on how the Word can make a difference in our world

By Dean Collins

Some scholars think James changes topics a lot in his short five chapters. The back-and-forth between topics is very Proverbs-like as you read through a chapter. But we know there is a grand drama that flows throughout scripture. One aspect of understanding scripture connects to our understanding of the role we play in this grand drama.

We are, of course, the beloved of our Heavenly Father. James opens verse 19 calling the readers beloved brothers. We are created in God’s image and enter into a family relationship together through Jesus. Writing to those loved by God, James begins to give practical instructions for how we are to live in the world where we sons and daughters of the King are to pray and to live out extending the will of the Father on earth as it is in Heaven. We have a role in this drama, and fulfilling our role is prerequisite to the return of Jesus.

Listen

Step one, according to James, is that we be quick to hear and slow to speak. What are we to be quick to hear? God’s voice in his Word, his voice as he whispers and confirms his truth by the Holy Spirit. We should be quick to listen and learn from our spiritual teachers who give us instruction and encouragement from the scriptures as well.

Our frequent problem is not listening, offering our opinion too quickly, and reacting with anger to others. Being quick to listen to God’s Word and avoiding anger are directly connected to the production of righteousness in our lives. When we avoid listening to godly instruction we are susceptible to missing the subtle ways the enemy slips in behavior that demoralizes us. Before you know it, there is filth and wickedness sown where love and grace would have and should have been planted.

Act

James turns his attention to the second important point in this section of chapter 1. If we do slow down and listen to God’s Word but that is all we do, then there is no benefit to the work God desires to do through us. According to James, we are to be doers of the Word and not simply those who relax and listen to spiritual teaching. The Word is to be practiced, not simply consumed. In fact, without the practice of scripture, we become lazy and indulgent consumers of content but are of little benefit in God’s will being accomplished through us.

As James continues, he gives us a very specific way to know if the Word we are consuming is taking root in our lives. If our faith is genuine, pure, and productive, our actions would specifically bear fruit by how we take care of the fatherless and the widow.

All throughout scripture, God gives very clear direction about the importance of caring for those who can’t care for themselves. The kingdom of God on earth should not have unattended widows and orphans. We are called to help directly and indirectly whenever and however we can. The pure love of God is seen when brothers and sisters care for our family members who have need and are subject to difficulty, abuse, and neglect.

When we look into the perfect law of liberty, the result should guide us to understand that this law gives us freedom to love fully and freely. This teaching from James is akin to Paul’s teachings in Galatians where we learn that bearing one another’s burdens fulfills the law of Christ.

Pause

Before we head out and share all our thoughts and opinions today, maybe it would be better for us and for others if we sat quietly, read, and listened to God’s Word. Then we would more likely be more prone to taking action led by the Holy Spirit than actions and reactions coming because we forgot to listen.

Your time with God’s Word
‭‭James‬ ‭1:19-27‬; Galatians‬ ‭6:2‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Photo by Timothy Eberly at unsplash.com.

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