For the last few weeks, the minister at the church we attend has been bringing the Sunday lesson out of the Book of James. James is one of my favorite books of the Bible because the author of this particular book was none other than James, the half-brother of Jesus. James was with the group of relatives who went to "collect" Jesus when Jesus was preaching at Nazareth. The people all thought Jesus was "out of His mind" because of all the things he said (see Matthew 3:21). The fact that the family of Jesus did not believe yet that he was the Messiah is emphasized here because they, like the others, believed that Jesus of Nazareth had actually lost his mind. This same James, just a few years later, penned the Book of James, and he no longer had any doubt: Jesus Christ was the Son of God and had been crucified to save the world.
James had clearly spent much time with Jesus, and as St. James, he had much insight to offer his contemporaries as well as to us in this later time. From the very start, St. James showed the love he learned from Jesus, his great concern for his fellow believers and for us who came later on. St. James also had other things he wanted to pass on to us from the Good Shepherd himself. From learning to be patient to taming our tongues, St. James did his best to teach Christians, no so much how to be "religious," but how to live life in the imitation of Christ. Unfortunately for me, EVERY TIME I read St. James, or hear someone else read these holy words, I have to say that my toes are most severely stomped upon. Today's lesson was no exception.
St. James, in Chapter 3, talks about wisdom, about how to get wisdom, and how to spot the person who has lived wisely. Conversely, the same words also teach others how to know when a person HAS NOT lived such a wise life. As those words unfolded from the Bible today, I felt the words stomp my toes, but more so, the words touched my heart. I have not lived wisely for much of my life, and I do not feel like I am living more wisely even now as I begin the sunset-portion of my life. St. James gave us these words in Chapter 3:
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom."
I have heard many people, both younger and older than me, say that they have few things in their lives that they regret, that they wish they could undo, or could have the chance to do better, as the case may be. This is not the case for me. I DO have many things that I regret, and that I wish I could undo. I have to say that even at this ripe age of something north of Fifty, I am not much wiser than when I graduated high school. St. James had this to say about the un-wise person, also from Chapter 3:
14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there." (Bold print is my addition.)
Contrast the above two verses to what St. James shows us about the life lived in wisdom, again from Chapter 3:
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. 18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. (Bold mine, again.)
So, there I was sitting in the service getting my toes pounded by the words of St. James, who was the Good Shepherd's brother, who lived with Lord on earth for many years, and who truly lived for Jesus right up to the Great Tribulation that befell Jerusalem in 69 A.D. St. James did not want to discourage God's children, but to ENCOURAGE them to live wise and blessed life in the love of Christ. I do love the Book of St. James even with the somewhat dire words contained there. And, I live a blessed life, blessed because I am not alone, but I have friends and loved ones who care for me. Most especially I have my lovely bride and also my very dear friend, both of whom have encouraged me so much even in the unwise life I have lived to this very day. These two very dear people in my life always let me know that even with regrets and wrongs in my life, the Good Shepherd still loves me. This kind of encouragement is also what St. James tells us we should do for our friends and loved ones, as we see in the closing verses of the Book of St. James, in Chapter 5:
19 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul[f] from death and cover a multitude of sins. (Bold mine, once again!)
The Good Book is not really written so much to "stomp our toes" as it is to show us how to live, and to show us that even if we have some regrets, some wrongs in our lives, it is never too late to return to the right way. When our dear friends, those who love us, give that encouragement, those persons have turned a sinner from error, and have covered over a multitude of sins. Thank God for the words of St. James, which were really the words of Jesus, and thank God for those people in our lives who care enough for us to let us know that, while we have made errors, and while we may have regrets over some things we have done, they still love us, and the Good Shepherd Himself loves us as well, with a love that will truly never die.
James had clearly spent much time with Jesus, and as St. James, he had much insight to offer his contemporaries as well as to us in this later time. From the very start, St. James showed the love he learned from Jesus, his great concern for his fellow believers and for us who came later on. St. James also had other things he wanted to pass on to us from the Good Shepherd himself. From learning to be patient to taming our tongues, St. James did his best to teach Christians, no so much how to be "religious," but how to live life in the imitation of Christ. Unfortunately for me, EVERY TIME I read St. James, or hear someone else read these holy words, I have to say that my toes are most severely stomped upon. Today's lesson was no exception.
St. James, in Chapter 3, talks about wisdom, about how to get wisdom, and how to spot the person who has lived wisely. Conversely, the same words also teach others how to know when a person HAS NOT lived such a wise life. As those words unfolded from the Bible today, I felt the words stomp my toes, but more so, the words touched my heart. I have not lived wisely for much of my life, and I do not feel like I am living more wisely even now as I begin the sunset-portion of my life. St. James gave us these words in Chapter 3:
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom."
I have heard many people, both younger and older than me, say that they have few things in their lives that they regret, that they wish they could undo, or could have the chance to do better, as the case may be. This is not the case for me. I DO have many things that I regret, and that I wish I could undo. I have to say that even at this ripe age of something north of Fifty, I am not much wiser than when I graduated high school. St. James had this to say about the un-wise person, also from Chapter 3:
14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there." (Bold print is my addition.)
Contrast the above two verses to what St. James shows us about the life lived in wisdom, again from Chapter 3:
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. 18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. (Bold mine, again.)
So, there I was sitting in the service getting my toes pounded by the words of St. James, who was the Good Shepherd's brother, who lived with Lord on earth for many years, and who truly lived for Jesus right up to the Great Tribulation that befell Jerusalem in 69 A.D. St. James did not want to discourage God's children, but to ENCOURAGE them to live wise and blessed life in the love of Christ. I do love the Book of St. James even with the somewhat dire words contained there. And, I live a blessed life, blessed because I am not alone, but I have friends and loved ones who care for me. Most especially I have my lovely bride and also my very dear friend, both of whom have encouraged me so much even in the unwise life I have lived to this very day. These two very dear people in my life always let me know that even with regrets and wrongs in my life, the Good Shepherd still loves me. This kind of encouragement is also what St. James tells us we should do for our friends and loved ones, as we see in the closing verses of the Book of St. James, in Chapter 5:
19 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul[f] from death and cover a multitude of sins. (Bold mine, once again!)
The Good Book is not really written so much to "stomp our toes" as it is to show us how to live, and to show us that even if we have some regrets, some wrongs in our lives, it is never too late to return to the right way. When our dear friends, those who love us, give that encouragement, those persons have turned a sinner from error, and have covered over a multitude of sins. Thank God for the words of St. James, which were really the words of Jesus, and thank God for those people in our lives who care enough for us to let us know that, while we have made errors, and while we may have regrets over some things we have done, they still love us, and the Good Shepherd Himself loves us as well, with a love that will truly never die.
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