Farewell to James

(this post originally appears in Seconds, my fabulous church's blog...but since I wrote it, I felt free to repost it!)

The ladies of the Monday night study spent our last night in James this week...at least together. Here are a few things we've learned...
James wrote his epistle from a different vantage point than any other New Testament writer. We find in the gospels that during the life and ministry of Jesus, James was not a follower...literally or spiritually. He was not present for much of the teaching of Jesus and what he did hear, he didn't believe. But then there was the moment, after the resurrection that Jesus appeared to James. One of a precious few who had an intimate encounter with Jesus after the cross, James was radically changed into the leader of the church in Jerusalem..."the first among equals." He grew up with God, but did not recognize how magnificent a privilege. He knew our Savior. He was deeply loved by our Lord. They were family. His writing is an opportunity to reflect on perfect faith that he witnessed but only understood in hindsight. What an interesting perspective!
Diving in to the text was a challenge. James is very pointed and without excuses. His message is two-fold. Pursue holiness and serve others. I think the main threads of the book are summed up in James 1:27 when he says 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. Tall order, huh? James is very much about doing what the Word says. Melissa Fitzpatrick (who wrote some of the study) says James would assert that "you have not adequately read Scripture unless you've done it."
James challenges us to consider trials joy, tame our tongue, practice patience, listen, to speak truth, submit, humble ourselves and remember if you know you should do something but don't, you are sinning. He encourages us to forsake excess for giving to those in need...to be aware of the needs around us and meet them when we can. He tells us to pray. Often. For each other. For ourselves. In sickness. In happiness. In faith.
For me, chapter 4 has taken deep root. James says in 4:4-6 Adulters, do you not know that friendship with the world means hostility toward God? So whoever decides to be the world's friend makes himself God's enemy. Or do you think Scripture means nothing when it says "The spirit that God caused to live within us has an envious yearning?" But he gives greater grace. That passage has stunned me and convicted me. Where do I look like the world? Can you ever tell a difference? When I do look like the world, or sin, it is like saying that I don't think God meant it when He said in Scripture to keep a tight rein on your tongue or be slow to anger and abounding in love or flee from sexual immorality or do not merely listen to the Word but do what it says or ______________. Thinking that I have ever said to the Lord that His Word means nothing broke my heart and challenged me to consider sin saying just that. It is much harder to fulfill my fleshly desire when I consider it telling my sweet Jesus His Words are nothing.
James digs into the nooks and crannies of our lives and demands change. I am praying that my girls and I let the Word of James make deep roots in our hearts so that we may be women of outrageous faith who have deeds to back that faith up!