What A Christian Has

And then here is a really interesting thing. VS. 19-20. Most of the time preachers interpret this as referring to personal relationships but I don’t believe that is what James is saying. I mean it is good in human relationships for us to be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger. But the verb and sentence structure here suggests that James is referring to what he has aforementioned in the chapter. That being quick to listen, slow to anger and slow to speak is what man needs to do when hearing God’s wisdom.

When we let God’s word challenge us instead of us trying to make it comfortable and fit into our lives, when we let it push us beyond the limits of this secular worl,d it often will trigger a sense of anger that wants to reject and push away God. I have seen many people quit church, quit serving God, quit reading their bible and quit praying because they didn’t like what they heard, because it angered them.

James is saying that we need to receive the word with meekness and self control instead of rejecting its instructions with anger. That the Christian needs to put away all filthiness, wickedness and receive the teaching God gives and let it take deep root in our lives. James is insisting that Christians are deceiving themselves when they attend worship, hear a sermon, read the bible as an end unto itself without ever considering how these things and experiences should lead them to righteous living that is different from the world.

Have you ever consider what you do that is different than a non Christian? In the last twenty four hours, what did you do that a non believer would not do? You gave money to your friend to help support the American Cancer Society Relay for Life Walk – great but an athesist would do that. You didn’t yell or fight with your family yesterday so what I know a lot of good families, good parents who are non believer. The difference is as a Christian what we do isn’t because of a friend asks us, it isn’t because the Nanny on TV touts self control and disciples in the family. As Christian we should do what we do all for the glory of God, to point to God, to lift up his name.

The imagery of the mirror here stresses the difference between the exsisting person and the ideal in Christian living. That ideal is rooted in God’s wisdom and it brings freedom. VS 25 Living and doing the law brings freedom to live as God created us to live. VS 27 Freedom to behave in such as way as to please God by demonstrating concern for others first and foremost and then by living lives of holiness free from the pollution of the world. A real Christian lives a life that has trials and tribulations, joy, temptations, God’s wisdom and freedom.

Buttprints in the Sand

One night, I had a wondrous dream; One set of footprints there was seen.

The footprints of my precious Lord, But mine were not along the shore.

But then some stranger prints appeared, And I asked the Lord, "What have we here?"

"Those prints are large and round and neat, But, Lord, they are too big for feet."