Monday
James 1.12 “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”
In every life circumstances change, difficult times come, relationships go wrong, and hopes are disappointed. The old wisdom “these things are sent to try us” can seem heartless when someone says that to us. But James has a point. Resilience is built by resistance; character is shaped by all our struggles to make life work; faith and trust in God are strengthened by a determined inner love, enabled by God’s grace. The crown of life is God’s ‘Yes’ to our love, when we have never taken the option of walking away, but have persevered and found God’s grace more than sufficient.
Tuesday
James 1.17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
The best translation of what James meant is still the opening verse of the hymn: “Great is Thy faithfulness, O God, my Father; / there is no shadow of turning with Thee. / Thou changest not, the compassions they fail not / as Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.” We live each day beneath the constant generosity of God. As we say of those we have come to trust. “You always get them the same way.” Or as the old KJV says, in God “there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
Wednesday
James 1. 19 “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this. Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry…”
Pay attention! Take note! Get your head round this. In three phrases James provides an outline for a TEDS talk on learning to keep our mouths shut! Peace-making, conciliation, negotiation, relation building, community health and safety – they all depend on three things. First, the discipline of listening in order to understand rather than find fault; second, install a good braking system on the urge to talk back, correct, or control the conversation; third, enough self-knowledge to recognise that our anger is seldom righteous anger! James’s words should be in bold print at the top of every day planner and displayed at every supermarket checkout!
Thursday
James 1.20 “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry, because anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.”
Anger is a problem. There are times when it is absolutely right to be angry, and when it would be wrong not to be outraged. But that is anger on behalf of others when, for example, we witness injustice or needless suffering. James is talking about anger as that inner aggression that wants to win the argument, to get our own way, or to put someone in their place - which usually means beneath us! The righteous life that God requires is the opposite of self-serving anger. If we want to know what that looks like then think of an upper room, dirty feet, a basin and a towel, and Jesus defusing the anger of disciples who had been arguing about who was the greatest.
Friday
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.”
Those words could have come straight out of Proverbs, and they have the same concern. Gossip, harmful words, innuendo, wounding sarcasm, lying, angry retorts, broken confidences, the clever take-down – the list is long of the ways that our words undermine trust and poison a community environment. Religion, as James sees it, is demonstrated in the practice of the faith we profess. As followers of Jesus we are called to a discipleship of the mind and heart, - and of the mouth!
Saturday
James 1.27 “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this:”
Our religion, according to James, is nothing more, nothing less, than our faith being put into practice. We don’t just hear God’s word, we do it. Religion is both our inner piety of prayers and devotional affection and commitment to God, in response to God’s great love towards us in Christ; and our religion is how we behave in the light of God’s great love for us. The mercy and compassion of God has acted in love towards us in the gift of his Son. “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless” will likewise be visible, actual and real in the practice of mercy to others.
Sunday
James 1.27 “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
Care for the vulnerable, compassion for those who need help; in other words seeing the world through the eyes of Jesus who never, ever, ignored those in distress. Perhaps the worst pollution by the world is allowing our hearts to harden and become complacent about the distress of those who have no power to rescue themselves. Looking after folk who are struggling is of the very essence of Christian love, and love for Christ. “Forasmuch as you did it for one of the least of these…”
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