According to Jim
Pt. 3
Introduction
Practical advice for practical living! Wisdom that we often fail to apply or live out and therefore we pay the price. Let’s listen and learn!
James 3:1-2
1Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.
(1-2Don't be in any rush to become a teacher, my friends. Teaching is highly responsible work. Teachers are held to the strictest standards. And none of us is perfectly qualified. We get it wrong nearly every time we open our mouths. If you could find someone whose speech was perfectly true, you'd have a perfect person, in perfect control of life.)
A. According to Jim position envy is misguided.
A common thing I see in the body is that many folks get position envy. They think they know more and can do things better so they work or manipulate to get leadership or control (even though we are clearly told that our gift makes room for us). What we fail to realize or consider is that with leadership, according to Jim, comes higher and stricter standards. Leaders are expected to live and behave differently. You should go read all of the requirements for leaders found in Paul’s writings to Timothy and Titus. Some want control, but are unwilling to live up to the standards. Don’t complain about the standards if you want or have accepted leadership. It is part of the package. It is part of the deal. You should expect your leaders to live at higher standard and then at the same time you have to remember the lesson from Jim 2 . . . Judge, but judge with mercy.
B. According to Jim even YOUR pastor will blow it.
I didn’t need Jim to tell me that! So mercy is needed. This realization will end roast pastor or tearing down of leaders. The real truth is that we all teach someone and we all need mercy. We will all misspeak at some point. This is true regardless of what church/organization you participate in. It has already happened in here. Communication is comprised of what someone actually says and what someone hears and those two don’t always match up. I make every attempt to make sure that I choose my words carefully and correctly, but at some point you will hear something through your own translation filter and it will offend you. Hear me carefully. . . I don’t mind offend your sin or your comfort zone, in fact I intend to do just that, but I do not want to offend you in a way that will break relationship. So according to Jim guess whose responsibility it is to offer grace and mercy . . . believe the best?
James 3:3-12
3When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. 7All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. 10Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. 11Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
(A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything—or destroy it! By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke . . .)
C. According to Jim we were lied to on the playground!
We were taught that, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me!” Jim tells us the truth. Words are one of the most powerful forces on the planet. We actually shape, frame, and yes if even destroy, tear down, and deconstruct things every time we open our mouths. We must guard our tongue and what we say. It is our responsibility to stop and consider the pain or the pleasure that our words create. We must become mouth managers! Hear the weight of this statement . . you can ruin the world, disrupt harmony, and destroy a reputation. That should cause us to pause and to choose our words with supreme care! Because remember our harmony and our reputation is impacted by what others are saying. As Americans we enjoy freedom of speech. However, as Christians we do not share that same freedom. Our Christianity trumps and overrules our American rights! We don’t have the freedom to say whatever is on our mouth! We must have a filter! We must count the cost! You have heard of a dramatic pause? I am praying that we learn a holy hesitation! Think before we speak. Your lips hold back death or release life!
C. According to Jim God hears what we say outside of church!
Compartmentalizing is not right. Too many of us speak one way at church and use the same tongue to talk another way outside of church. Jim says this can’t happen and even goes as far to declare that our choice of language is judged by God. Jim is instructing us that not only is it dangerous to be double minded, but it is equally dangerous to be double tongued! The understanding that God hears us outside of church and that our church talk doesn’t cancel out our daily talk should cause us to talk the same at all times! Your conversation on Monday should sound similar to your conversation on Sunday. What we say to men actually shows what we think about God because the men were made in God’s image!
James 3:13-18
13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 17But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
(Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here's what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. Real wisdom, God's wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.)
E. According to Jim wise people are easy to spot!
If you need to hang around people that are wise they are easy to spot because they will live well, live wisely, and live humbly. Sometimes you don’t have to elaborate much. How many of you are concerned about your reputation? How many of you want a reputation that you are wise? Just live well, live wisely, and live humbly and your reputation will be that you are wise. This generation seems to struggle with who to listen to, who to take advise from, and who to allow to influence their lives. Easy. . . find someone who lives well, lives wisely, and lives humbly! Can people spot you?
F. According to Jim we can shut the door and keep out the devil!
I have talked to you about the residence of blessing. Scripture says that there is a commanded blessing that sets up habitation, moves in to, inhabits, makes its home in a body marked by unity. We long for that and desire to see that happen here. However, Jim reveals another residence. This is a residence that we don’t want to visit or have anything to do with. According to Jim, anytime you mix envy which is harsh, sharp, cutting, divisive jealousy and selfishness (strife or selfish ambition) which carries the meaning of intense rivalry brought on by extreme selfishness at that moment you have resident evil. Listen to this phrase and let it soak in. When you have a body where envy or selfishness are running rampant you will find disorder and EVERY kind of evil! Think about that envy and selfishness when mixed result or give birth to every kind of evil (murder, promiscuity, lust, drunkenness, gossip). When you begin to see any and every kind of evil you can look around and at its root you will find either envy or selfishness. Someone was jealous and wanted something they couldn’t/didn’t have or someone was being selfish. We must guard ourselves from jealousy and concern only for ourself. We must be ruthless on these two components because they open the door to every kind of evil. The problem is that most of keep the door open due to petty little jealousies and lack of concern for others. Let’s slam the door in the devil’s face!
G. According to Jim getting along with one another is hard work!
Jim states that our level of wisdom is revealed in whether or not we are willing to work at getting along with one another. He is operating from the premise that some relationships just take work. Hate to break it to you, but for some people you are just hard to get along with! But that is true of everyone for someone. The world would say just don’t even try. Walk away. Ignore. Find other people to hang out with! Jim’s instruction is different . . . he says get busy, work at it, clock in, determine to make it work! Just because it is hard work does not mean that lets us off the hook! Why?
Our health as a body is determined by our willingness to work at relationship. Our health as a body is determined by our willingness to work at forgiveness and peace! In fact, according to Jim, not only is our health affected, our harvest is affected by our ability to be peacemakers and peacekeepers. We judge the health of a church by the number of programs they offer, the amount of money they have in the bank, or their attendance. Jim changes the grading scale and says the amount of peace in the body is real indicator of health. Let’s determine today to go to work! Treat each other with dignity and honor. I challenge you to find the person who rubs you the wrong way and see it as your job (work) to treat them with respect. Your harvest depends on it!
Call you today to manage relationships. Manage envy and selfishness our life as a body depends on it. Repent of those things right now as a body!
