ARE YOU RELIGIOUS? (part two)
Recap: James 1:26, "If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless." We looked at chapter three and realized why James highlighted the tongue-because it's the hardest to tame. Basically if we can tame the tongue, the rest of us will be in check.
I deceive myself because James said fresh water and salt water cannot come from the same spring; nor does a grapevine produce figs. Therefore, I shouldn't think that I have a pure heart when what's coming out of my mouth is impure. I can't think that I'm truly religious when I'm not guarded in my speech. I don't show myself to be truly religious when I speak one way inside of church but the opposite way outside of it.
This behavior renders my religion as worthless because I'm being hypocritical; I'm discounting the good I say when I turn and speak vulgarities, lies and gossip. I'm showing others that my religion is worthless to me.
And if I'm focused on being quick to listen and slow to speak, along with getting rid of the old speech and replacing with spiritual speech I'll be able to keep a tight rein on my tongue.
James 1:27a, "Religion that God our Father accept as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress."
1) To look after orphans and widows.
James singles out two groups of people who society would deem unworthy. Not worth the time; not worth the effort. Why? Because if I help them they probably won't be able to repay me. So if I go out of my way to minister to the poor, the needy, the homeless, the widow, the orphan, I am helping someone who cannot pay me back. I must be willing to help this person knowing I will not get repaid. If I can do that then I know my motive is to please God and not myself. Thus I entertain true religion in the eyes of God.
In the beginning of the sermon last week I mentioned how James broke through the idea of what something is and explained what it really is. He does it in chapter one regarding religion and he does it in chapter two regarding the subject of faith. In speaking of faith James provides a scenario showing that mere words aren't enough; it needs to be followed up with action if it's authentic.
James 2:14-17, "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."
As faith without action is dead, likewise religion without action is dead. In 1:27 James is showing that merely saying the right things is not enough to render someone truly religious; there needs to be action. James mentions taking care of orphans and widows. In chapter two he highlights taking care of a fellow believer who is without the basic necessities of clothes and food. He said if we offer kind words and send him on his way how have we really helped? Not that prayer doesn't help but what the person needs in the moment is provision that would satisfy his material needs.
Likewise, when it comes to being religious, we can offer up prayers for the needy but if that's all we're doing we're not being truly religious. James 1:27 says we are to look after orphans and widows. That involves hands-on service. We're not just praying for them, we're calling them, visiting them, finding out how we can help. It involves getting involved and being there for them in whatever way is needed.
It isn't so hard to come to church, pray and read our bible. What's harder to do? Sacrificing our time, effort and resources to help those who need it most. To help those who can't afford to pay us back is to perform pure religion because it's done in the purest of motives-to honor God. That's why James says helping orphans and widows is indicative of being truly religious. I can help people but it can be with impure motives-either I'm helping someone who I'm counting on to help me in return.
We're glad to help people who we expect to be there to scratch our back when we need it but how eager are we to help when we know there's little chance of that happening? James highlights orphans and widows because helping these types of people shows that I don't have a personal agenda or ulterior motives. And when my motives are pure, my reward is sweet.
A Christian businessman heard his pastor tell about a widow who had been evicted from her home because she had no money to pay her rent. Her furniture was piled up on the lawn. She didn’t know where she would go or what she would do. The pastor said that if someone would help her, he would have a "foretaste of heaven." The businessman went to the home to see what he could do. He returned to church that evening and said, "I have just been in heaven. I went to see that widow, paid her back rent, helped her move her belongings into the house again, and stocked her cupboards with food. It is the most joy I have experienced in many years." Looking after orphans and widows is part of pure religion; and in that we're purely blessed.
2) Stop acting religious and start being religious.
Isa. 1:13-17, "Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations —I cannot bear your evil assemblies. Your New Moon festivals and your appointed feasts my soul hates. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood; wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow."
The Israelites were going through their religious practices but God was not pleased with them. Why? Because they were not performing true religion; they weren't living it out. They thought their religious duties stopped at performing rituals. They had a high regard for prayers and offerings but no regard for helping the oppressed. They were focused on looking religious but not being religious.
Hos. 6:6, "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings." Hosea was highlighting where the emphasis needed to be; what the priority was. He's basically saying your sacrifices mean nothing without extending mercy to those who need it. Your burnt offerings mean nothing without you acknowledging what's most important to me.
Jesus quoted this verse in part when the Pharisees looked down on him for eating with 'sinners'. The Pharisees were very religious people yet they were not practicing pure religion. There's religious and then there's truly religious. We need to have our focus and priority on what's most important when it comes to being religious.
I've mentioned before about all the different ministries Cornerstone gives to. And these verses in James is a big reason why. There are many ministries we support geared towards helping these people groups. VOM, Orphan's Lifeline, Make Way Partners, Rapha House; ministries that are designed to help widows and orphans. Helping the poor, needy and disabled: Rescue Mission, Deaf Missions, Yawla and other overseas missions. Cornerstone is involved in performing pure religion.
3) God is there for the vulnerable ones.
Part of ministering to orphans and widows in their distress is standing up for them when they're being attacked. People like the orphans, widows, handicapped-these were the ones who were most vulnerable; they were typically too weak or powerless to defend themselves or have anything go their way in court. These people are easy targets; people could easily take advantage of them; and unfortunately plenty did.
But God had a rule. Ex. 22:22, “Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan." He took it a step further and commanded compassion and generosity toward the vulnerable ones.
Deut. 24:17-22, "Do not deprive the alien or the fatherless of justice or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you from there. That is why I command you to do this. When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. When you beat the olives from your trees, do not go over the branches a second time. Leave what remains for the alien, the fatherless and the widow. When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, do not go over the vines again. Leave what remains for the alien, the fatherless and the widow. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. That is why I command you to do this."
So not only were God's people commanded to not take advantage of these people but they were also to bless them. And really, blessing them here meant not being willing to harvest every little bit. They were being blessed by their crops and were taking most of it but were being asked to leave behind what they didn't get the first time around. They had plenty, they didn't need to take it all; leave it behind for those who had none.
Orphans and widows didn't have fields to harvest. The poor and disabled didn't own groves to glean from; they relied on the generosity of others. In some cases these people groups may have been hired hands who were already working in the fields and God is telling the landowners to allow them to keep what was missed in the initial harvesting.
And we see why they were commanded to show kindness to the poor; God reminds them of Egypt. Because their ancestors suffered in Egypt at the hand of those who no doubt didn't show any mercy toward them and because the Lord did show mercy and rescued them from such a perilous situation, it was now their turn to be like him and not be like the stingy and merciless Egyptians.
How might this passage in Deut. apply to us today? I see it in the essence of our income. We have it at our disposal but God wants us to take a portion of it and use it to bless others. "I'd like to help but I can't afford it." Perhaps but could it be that if you made some adjustments you could afford it?
John Wesley lived modestly and was extremely generous. He attributed this to a lesson he learned while a student at Oxford. He had just finished paying for some pictures for his room when one of the chambermaids came to his door. It was a cold winter day, and he noticed that she had nothing to protect her except a thin linen gown. He reached into his pocket to give her some money to buy a coat but found he had too little left. Immediately the thought struck him that the Lord was not pleased with the way he had spent his money. He asked himself, Will thy Master say, "Well done, good and faithful steward"? Thou hast adorned thy walls with the money which might have screened this poor creature from the cold! O justice! O mercy! Are not these pictures the blood of this poor maid?
What Wesley did Perhaps as a result of this incident, in 1731 Wesley began to limit his expenses so that he would have more money to give to the poor. He records that one year his income was 30 pounds and his living expenses 28 pounds, so he had 2 pounds to give away. The next year his income doubled, but he still managed to live on 28 pounds, so he had 32 pounds to give to the poor. In the third year, his income jumped to 90 pounds. Instead of letting his expenses rise with his income, he kept them to 28 pounds and gave away 62 pounds. In the fourth year, he received 120 pounds. As before, his expenses were 28 pounds, so his giving rose to 92 pounds. Increase your standard of GIVING, not your standard of LIVING. Like God, we need to be there for the vulnerable ones.
But, whenever anyone did take advantage of the vulnerable ones or were not giving toward them, God would deal with it. Psalm 146:9, "The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked." Whenever someone tries to take advantage of the defenseless ones God will frustrate their plans. They might succeed in the moment but they will pay for it later.
And those who were being taken advantage of didn't need to worry because God was their sustainer, defender and provider. Jer. 49:11, "Leave your orphans; I will protect their lives. Your widows too can trust in me.” If we who are in need find ourselves in a situation where we need help but aren't getting it we need to remember that God is there. He will take care of us when we're weak and helpless.
If there is a lack of compassion among the people; if all others pass us by; God will be there. He hears our cries and sees our pain; Our hope in him is not in vain. If the darkness is wide and the light is dim; Have no fear just trust in him.
4) In their distress.
James highlights that we are to help widows and orphans in their distress; in their afflictions. Which means we are to help where and when help is needed most. This means the help is conditional. Help is determined by the legitimacy of the need. For instance; food, clothing and shelter-legitimate needs. Trouble making ends meet; going to shut the heat, electric and water off-legitimate needs. My cable bill is overdue; my internet bill is overdue-not so much. But James said, "in their distress" and I'm in distress! Well, you might be in distress about your cable bill but I don't think that's what James had in mind here.
We are called to help but not just blindly help. 1st Tim. 5:3-16, "Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God. The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help. But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives.
Give the people these instructions, too, so that no one may be open to blame. If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the saints, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.
As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry. Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to.
So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan. If any woman who is a believer has widows in her family, she should help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need."
Paul wanted Timothy to make determinations regarding who was legitimately in need and who wasn't. Instead of just automatically helping every widow, there were certain qualifications that needed to be met. And Paul isn't saying that a widow who didn't fit these qualifications received no help at all. The list Paul is referring to is more of a long-term list; perhaps lifelong. So, before a widow was to be receiving help of this magnitude they needed to meet certain criteria to determine whether or not they were legitimately in need of it.
Did they have family members who could help? Were they old enough (past the age of re-marrying and having children or working to provide for themselves), were they known for being godly women? I don't think this meant that unless you met all these qualifications you weren't going to receive any help whatsoever but in order to be placed on such a long-standing and permanent list of receiving regular help from the church you were going to have to meet certain criteria.
I think we can put this principle into practice with anyone who is looking for help. Not that we necessarily need to play 20 questions with everyone who asks us for some help but I think Paul's words here highlights that we aren't called to just blindly give to everyone who asks us to; there needs to be wisdom attached to it. One reason is we might exhaust our resources on illegitimate needs and it won't be there for when there is a legitimate need.
Also, if we don't use discretion and wisdom when we give we might be enabling someone who is doing something they shouldn't be or enabling them to be dependent on others when they have the tools and ability to be independent. Having the desire to help the needy is a wonderful thing but it involves discernment in determining whether or not there's a legitimate need.
George E. Stewart said, "Religion consists not so much in joyous feelings as in constant devotedness to God, and laying ourselves out for the good of others." True religion is not a feeling, it's not a creed we profess; it's an action word. It's not about me; it's about getting outside of me and helping and providing for the needs of those who need it most.
