REVDANS

I just read a post on Facebook about what a 19-year-old had to give up by getting married. The piece was very thoughtful and presented some very important points to consider. However, one thing I thought was strange and caught me off guard was that the author thought this was a very young age for marriage and had been taunted and ridiculed for entertaining marriage at such a young age.

When Sheila and I married 39 years ago today, we didn’t consider ourselves too young. She was 19 and I was 20. I grew up in AR and 13-16 years of age was considered young. Yes, some of my relatives had married at that young age. We were of the opinion that we were old enough to know what we were doing, having graduated from high school of course. She had been working in an office and I had already worked at three different jobs. We thought we had experienced enough of the real world to know what we were doing. When we met at college, she roped me into a whirlwind romance.

Little did we know, and we never can know without the experience, how much we didn’t know and needed to know. But we launched out into the great unknown and started what has become a 39-year course in finance, budgeting, family planning, relationships, mergers, negotiation, psychology, sociology, corporate strategy, and so much more. It will probably take another 39 years to graduate.

We thought we knew each other when we got married. We had spent 8 months dating (four of which I spent in AR and she in FL). People did try to warn us, to discourage us, and to shame us into reconsidering. A few (you know who you are) tried to tell us that it would never work, would never last. Sheila says that we are staying together just to prove them wrong (she’s stubborn that way).

August 2, 1975

We have spent 39 years learning how little we knew each other and just when we think that we finally know each other well, we discover something else that we didn’t know. Those who think that living with the same person for 39 years must be boring hasn’t done it or wasn’t engaged in the effort while trying it. Every day is a new adventure in seeking to understand this person. Every day is an opportunity to grow more in love, to appreciate more the person you have chosen for life, to learn the joy of sharing, the necessity for humility, and the grace of forgiveness.

It may seem like an eternity to the young, but time really does fly by and it seems to us like only yesterday that I was standing at the front of the church in my white tux and she was walking down the isle in her white dress, two innocent youths embarking on an exciting adventure into the great unknown. My knees were shaking uncontrollably as I watched her move toward me. They were shaking so hard that I thought I might topple the altar as we knelt together in prayer. I wasn’t sure why I was so nervous. Only later would I understand.

Life has a way of throwing surprises at you. We have had our fair share. Her parents tragically killed in an automobile accident when she was three months pregnant with our first child. A ministry position that turned into a four-year nightmare (literally!). An emergency appendectomy when she was seven weeks pregnant with our youngest. Even a surprise pregnancy. A bankrupt health insurance company that refused to pay the medical expenses for two hospital visits while it kept taking our premiums. Struggling to stay out of debt, working two or more jobs to support a growing family, finding creative ways to make ends meet. But through it all we grew stronger and closer.

Young and Innocent

So here we are after all these years…39 to be exact. Whatever the future holds, dearest, I can’t imagine not holding you close to me, me without you, us without each other. I’d rather lose an arm and a leg (literally!) than have to spend these years without you. The Scripture says a man should love his wife as his own body. So you have become a part of me, so much so that I can’t imagine life without you. I hope and trust that when that magic number of 50 arrives, it will find us closer, stronger, wiser and more in love than ever. What started in our youth as a launch into the great unknown has blossomed into a grand adventure in life. You’re still the one. To be continued…

Our culture places great value on education. We expect teachers with degrees, preferably with PhDs. These degrees are supposed to represent the level of education attained and the wisdom gained by the holder of the degree. We should expect a greater level of learning and a greater degree of understanding from the more highly degreed and educated among us.

The Bible presents a different test to determine the level of wisdom and understanding a person possesses. James tells us that the person who is wise and understanding will show it by “his good life, by deeds done in humility that comes from wisdom.” Humility and education are two words that coexist too rarely in the real world. However, we are exhorted to “practice what we preach” and to live what we believe. That kind of wisdom is sorely needed in our world. We don’t need more experts who tell us what we should do. We need better examples who show us how to live successfully and profitably.

Two types of wisdom are presented and contrasted, so that we might apply the appropriate value to each. Earthly wisdom is full of selfish ambition, harboring bitter envy. We either gloat and brag about these or we will seek to hide and deny them. Either way, this wisdom will reveal itself.

Three words are used to describe this worldly wisdom. It is earthly, meaning that its source is from the natural thoughts, reactions, and motives that originate from our flawed human nature. It is unspiritual, contrasting its origin with that which comes from the Holy Spirit. It is demonic, meaning that it has been influenced by the devil or originates from him.

Notice that envy and selfish ambition yield the fruit of disorder and every evil practice. God is not the author of confusion. “God is not a God of disorder but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33). Where you find dissension, confusion, chaos, disorder, and destruction, you will probably find that, underlying these, there will be strife caused by selfishness and pride.

Godly wisdom is different. The qualities listed here are very similar to the ones Jesus used to describe the “blessed ones” in His Sermon on the Mount. These qualities undercut earthly wisdom, disarming and disabling its ill effects. Peacemaking may not bring a lasting peace, but it does promote an environment where people are encouraged to pursue what is right and act in right ways. Of course, this wisdom is not natural and can only be produced as we are energized by the power of God. We should never underestimate the power of a godly life to influence a fallen world.

James 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.
14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth.
15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.
17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.
18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

My friend Tony says that short people often walk with a swagger and a chip on their shoulder because of their size. They have spent a good portion of their childhood fighting and clawing to prove themselves. Judged by their size, they are often underestimated and misjudged. They have something to prove and they have spent considerable effort proving it.

The tongue is a small member of the body, James observes, but exerts a disproportionate influence. He uses examples of small objects making a great impact to drive home the point that small doesn’t necessarily mean powerless or unimportant. He talks about large ships with big sails being guided by small rudders. He talks about large animals, such as horses, controlled and guided by small bits in their mouths. Then he drives the point home. “The tongue may be small, but it boasts of great things.”

That’s why James opens his discussion of the tongue with the warning: Not many of you should even consider becoming a teacher, for you will be judged with greater strictness. We who preach and teach understand that, because our occupation focuses on communication and communication is a difficult area to navigate successfully, we are under greater pressure to control what we say and how we say it. God will judge every word, so we who spend our lives speaking ought to beware. In fact, if we could control our speech, we would be practically perfect. It takes a very mature person to avoid stumbling over her words.

Ah, the power of words. James uses a couple of analogies to illustrate the powerful influence of our words. Fire seems an appropriate and very vivid analogy. Many of us growing up in the 60s or 70s remember Smokey the Bear. He would appear on TV to warn us to put out those campfires and to avoid discarding cigarette butts on the side of the road. A single spark could ignite raging forest fires. James presses the point that the tongue is like a spark that can set ablaze a world of emotions which erupt in actions which are out of control and do considerable damage. The tongue, he warns, is set on fire by hell and disrupts the whole course of nature, damaging our reputation, our relationships and our self image. He even asserts that, although we have been successful in taming all sorts of wild beasts, we seem powerless to tame the tongue. “It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.”

The tongue can be “forked.” It can reveal that we are “two-faced.” We can bless God and curse people without taking a breath. Unlike a spring that can either pour out fresh water or salt water but not both and unlike fruit trees which can only bear one kind of fruit, the tongue can pour out sweet words and bitter words, yielding sweet and bitter fruit. It’s amazing how quickly that change can occur.

We know the damage that the tongue can inflict. We have been both the victims and the perpetrators. “Loose lips sink ships.” This saying, from World War II, was a way of reminding people to watch what they said, because the enemy might be able to use those “slips of the tongue.” We need to remember the exhortation to “watch what we say.” The tongue can be razor sharp and can cut to the core. We can hurt others deeply with careless words. They go away, wounded internally, and we are unaware that the wound we just inflicted will take a toll on our relationship and much time to heal. Had we only thought before we talked. We said and they bled.

Were the wounds of our words of a physical nature, we would be required to obtain a permit to carry the deadly weapon between our cheeks. Sadly, if one were required, I’m not sure I could pass the background check. I have too many violations on my record. Fortunately, I can claim the forgiveness that blots out past transgressions and “cleanses from all unrighteousness.” And I can depend on the power that transforms my speech as well as my actions. Now, I am more cautious and try to “keep the safety on.”

James 3: 1-12 ESV Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water. (‭James‬ ‭3‬:‭1-12‬ ESV)

“You only really believe that which activates you.” – Don Hillis, former missionary

I first heard these words when I attended a summer church camp and a missionary representative spoke about real faith in God. They were such powerful words presented in such a powerful way that I have never forgotten them. (By the way, that camp was held almost 40 years ago.)

I know that many of you are familiar with the process for obtaining a credit card. Applying for and receiving the card are just steps in the process. To make the card usable you must activate it. Without this step the card, though issued to you and in your possession, is worthless and unusable. What good is a credit card that hasn’t been activated? James asks a similar question about faith. In James 2:14 he asks about the worth of a faith that does not cause us to act, that doesn’t make a difference in us. What good is it? What good is it to say we love you but we won’t help you. What good is it to say we believe in Jesus, only to deny Him when we are challenged to follow Him? What good is it to say we believe in helping people and follow a Savior who never turned away a person in need, only to turn away from people in need? What good is it to say we believe in a God who forgives and encourages us to forgive only to refuse forgiveness to others? What good is it to…? You get the drift of thought here. You know where it’s headed. There are many things we say we believe, only to deny those very beliefs in our daily lives. True faith activates us to act on what we believe.

When we were children, we would hear our friends or acquaintances make bold claims. I can jump from my roof and land on my feet, I can do fifty push-ups, I can blow bubbles from my nose. There are many more that we could list, but that last one on the list would lead us into familiar, but better avoided territory. As we moved from naiveté to experience, we would not automatically assume that their claims were valid. We would want proof. “Okay, show me!” Only if they were willing to back up their claim were we willing to believe them. Sometimes they were able to show the validity of their claims and sometimes they were shown to be prevaricators (liars, but I just like using big words). James issues a challenge to those who claim to have real faith. He says simply, “Show me!” Can you show real faith without works that come from a faith that is actively energizing your thoughts, words and deeds? Can you? Can you? Really? Do it! Show me faith without works! Show me a faith that doesn’t make a difference in your life! Come on, put your money where your mouth is! (I apologize for the immature digression, but you get the point, I’m sure!) Faith that doesn’t produce works, faith that makes claims not backed up with evidence, is useless. It is not true faith, just a bunch of empty words.

James uses two examples to make his point: Abraham and Rahab. In so many ways these two were very different. One a man, the other a woman. One revered as the father of a nation, the other a former prostitute. He turned from his idolatry at the call of God, who made promises to him and a covenant with him. She turned from her idolatry after hearing testimonies of the mighty acts of the Hebrew God. They were both liars. He did so in an act of faithless self-preservation, she in an act of faithful preservation of the Hebrew spies who came to her for help. But they both exhibited real faith. How do we know? Abraham, in a bold act of faith in a God who can raise the dead, was willing to offer his son, Isaac, as a sacrifice the way God instructed him. Rahab went against the loyalty to her city and kindred, facing the possibility of death for treason, and protected enemy spies from Israel. Both were said to possess faith and both could produce evidence of that faith. They acted on the belief they possessed in God.

So, we are back to this: “You only really believe that which activates you.” So what do you believe? Show me! Come on! I dare you!

James 2:14-26 LEB What is the benefit, my brothers, if someone says that he has faith but does not have works? That faith is not able to save him, is it? If a brother or a sister is poorly clothed and lacking food for the day, and one of you should say to them, “Go in peace, keep warm and eat well,” but does not give them what is necessary for the body, what is the benefit? Thus also faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe, and shudder! But do you want to know, O foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was working together with his works, and by the works the faith was perfected. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And likewise was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by a different route? For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

We can be quite generous in dealing with our shortcomings. We can feel that we are loving and kind, if we MOSTLY show loving concern for others. Of course there is that one person at work, that one friend, that one family member, that one church member, that one…well you get the idea, who rubs us the wrong way and we end up getting bent out of shape, losing our cool, and blowing up. Then there are those days when we aren’t feeling well or we are depressed or we can’t get over something. We take it out on those close to us and lash out at them. In other words, although we subscribe to the “golden rule” and affirm the “royal law,” we end up acting in unloving ways and break the very law we intend to obey. But, we think, if we can just manage to act with love and kindness a little more often than we don’t, we will still be able to make the claim that we are kind and loving.

Fortunately, I don’t have to be the one to burst your bubble. James slams the door on such thinking. “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it” (James 2:10, NIV). So how many laws must we break before being labeled a “lawbreaker”? Just one! How many times can I act in unloving and unkind ways before being branded unloving and unkind? Wait! I shouldn’t be judged so harshly. Doesn’t my kindness and loving deeds count for something? Why should I be condemned for what I have done wrong and not have my goodness taken into account? We know that God is a fair, impartial and just God. The problem is one of standards. Just as His thoughts and His ways are higher than ours, so are His standards. We lower the bar to the place where we can step over; He demands that we accept His placement of it. When we find that we cannot measure up to His standard, we must then cast ourselves upon His mercy and grace instead of complaining that the bar is too high.

We tend to grade and categorize sin. This one is horrible, that one inexcusable, this other unforgivable, mine: tolerable, understandable, excusable, maybe even justified. God calls ALL transgressions of the law SIN. God holds ALL lawbreakers ACCOUNTABLE. God excuses NO ONE. Until we get this, until we accept our true nature as lawbreakers, until we truly understand the magnitude of our failure before God, we will never truly appreciate the mercy and grace extended to us by God through Jesus Christ. Paul could claim that he was “the chief sinner” (1 Timothy 1:15), because he accepted the magnitude of his sin.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will obtain mercy.” Those who have accepted the magnitude of their sin, experienced the liberating power of the gospel, embraced the forgiveness of sin, and now walk in newness of life will find extending mercy and forgiveness to others an easy exercise. If God has been so generous with us, how can we be stingy with others. To say that we can’t forgive is to admit that we have no real understanding of our sinfulness before God, the depth of our depravity and guilt, and no real experience of the great forgiveness and mercy that God has extended to us. We will only face judgment, if we refuse the mercy of God. If we embrace His mercy, we will offer it to others as well.

James 2:8-13 LEB However, if you carry out the royal law according to the scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you commit sin, and thus are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles in one point only has become guilty of all of it. For the one who said “Do not commit adultery” also said “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. Thus speak and thus act as those who are going to be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment is merciless to the one who has not practiced mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

James 2:1-7

We live in a world where it is difficult to find people who are truly impartial. We exalt leaders because of their position. We idolize movie stars and athletes. We give way to the rich and famous. We seem to think that status, position, fame, wealth and power earn a bigger piece of the pie and a better seat at the table. We evaluate people based on what we observe about them and their lifestyle. We treat them accordingly. If they have something to offer, we offer them more attention, greater visibility, increasing opportunity, prominent position. If they seem to have little to offer, we push them aside, ignore them, pity them, and push past them to get closer to the more promising candidates.

James paints a picture of someone coming into the church assembly exhibiting the obvious signs of status: fine clothing and costly jewelry. That person is treated like royalty: “Here, take my seat. Come over here and meet my wife. We are so glad that you have chosen to meet with us.” Someone else comes in who gives every indication of a social outcast, a “poor” person with nothing to offer but herself. “Sorry, you’ll have to move back and give up your seat. That seat is reserved. Maybe you can find a place over there in the corner. Yes, on the floor. Sorry.” I think we have seen this scenario played out daily in countless situations in the various arenas where we function. It is rare indeed to find the person who treats you equally well regardless of their evaluation of your outward appearance.

It seems appropriate to point out a couple of important observations. First, it is impossible to truly evaluate a person based on appearance. The only One who truly knows who we really are can do so based on what He sees in our hearts. He doesn’t look on the outward appearance. I remember younger days when I was privileged to go to work with my dad. He would point out people who were shopping and tell me about them. Some he identified as wealthy I would have thought were poor. They didn’t show the appropriate signs of wealth and status. Others I thought might be important he would dismiss as gossips, social-climbers, self-important or self-obsessed. Making distinctions based on observations of outward appearance turns us into “judges with evil thoughts.” We think we can use people to further our agenda (or God’s, for that matter). In only thinking of how they can benefit us, we treat them wrongly and thus are filled with “evil thoughts.” Judgmental people do not display the love and care of Christ. And they can be completely wrong in their judgments.

Second, a judgmental attitude runs completely counter to the gospel we have embraced. God chooses to reach down and save miserable sinners, who have given up on earning status with God, who have renounced good works as a means for recognition, who have confessed to being wretched sinners in need of a Savior, who have given up on the world’s recognition to accept God’s. What greater or broader invitation than this one: “Whosoever will.” God does not choose based on appearance. In fact, He may choose to wait, as He did in Moses’ case, until all status, wealth, and power have dissipated and all that is left is a humble, willing spirit with nothing to offer but ourselves. My generation heard this saying frequently as a reminder of the truth of our humanity: “He puts his pants on one leg at a time.”

Third, we need to be reminded that the ones who have the power to use, abuse, and neglect are usually not the poor. James drives home the point that the “haves” dishonor the “have-nots”, oppress and litigate, and even ridicule and blaspheme the Christian’s values. We call upon people to reflect the likeness of One who left the riches of heaven to become a lowly man born in a stable with, as He Himself confessed, no place to lay His Head. He rejected the Pharisees and wealthy for their pompous neglect of the poor and needy. Because they thought that they were better, more deserving, they expected that He would cater to their desires. He came to seek and save the lost. It was not the rich and powerful who would acknowledge their need, but the poor, miserable and wretched. It was not the well who needed the Physician, but the sick. He made Himself available to those who recognized their need, whatever their earthly status might be.

Have you ever wondered what a place would look like that treated ALL people with respect, valuing ALL people for who they are (people made in the image of God), seeking ALL people according to their need rather than their contribution, and interacting with ALL people in a fellowship that is ALL-inclusive. What an illusion, a pipe-dream, an unattainable utopia. The Bible simply calls it “THE CHURCH.” Of course, a church may not always resemble the ideal, but we must persistently and passionately pursue the ideal until it becomes real.

James 2:1 ESV   My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.

I picked up this article a few years back. I wish I knew where or its author. I share it in the hope that it will help many of those who are “stressed out” will find some relief or help.

Simple modifications in posture, habits, thought, and behavior often go a long way toward reducing feelings of stress and tension. Here are 8 quick and simple things you can do immediately to help keep your stress level under control.

1.   Control Your Anger:

Watch for the next instance in which you find yourself becoming annoyed or angry at something trivial or unimportant, then practice letting go – make a conscious choice not to become angry or upset. Do not allow yourself to waste thought and energy where it isn’t deserved. Effective anger management is a tried-and-true stress reducer.

2.   Breathe:

Breathe slowly and deeply. Before reacting to the next stressful occurrence, take three deep breaths and release them slowly. If you have a few minutes, try out breathing exercises such as meditation or guided imagery.

3.   Slow Down:

Whenever you feel overwhelmed by stress, practice speaking more slowly than usual. You’ll find that you think more clearly and react more reasonably to stressful situations. Stressed people tend to speak fast and breathlessly; by slowing down your speech you’ll also appear less anxious and more in control of any situation.

4.   Complete One Simple To Do:

Jump start an effective time management strategy. Choose one simple thing you have been putting off (e.g. returning a phone call, making a doctor’s appointment) and do it immediately. Just taking care of one nagging responsibility can be energizing and can improve your attitude.

5.   Get Some Fresh Air:

Get outdoors for a brief break. Our grandparents were right about the healing power of fresh air. Don’t be deterred by foul weather or a full schedule. Even five minutes on a balcony or terrace can be rejuvenating.

6.   Avoid Hunger and Dehydration:

Drink plenty of water and eat small, nutritious snacks. Hunger and dehydration, even before you’re aware of them, can provoke aggressiveness and exacerbate feelings of anxiety and stress.

7.   Do a Quick Posture Check:

Hold your head and shoulders upright and avoid stooping or slumping. Bad posture can lead to muscle tension, pain, and increased stress.

8.   Recharge at the Day’s End:

Plan something rewarding for the end of your stressful day, even if only a relaxing bath or half an hour with a good book. Put aside work, housekeeping or family concerns for a brief period before bedtime and allow yourself to fully relax. Don’t spend this time planning tomorrow’s schedule or doing chores you didn’t get around to during the day. Remember that you need time to recharge and energize yourself – you’ll be much better prepared to face another stressful day.

(James 1:26 [HCSB]) If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, then his religion is useless and he deceives himself. Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

The opening “if” presents another form of self-deception. We think we are religious. We see ourselves as compassionate and kind. We like to think of ourselves as generous and giving. We may see ourselves as a spiritual person, committed to some moral code or various religious exercises. We identify and may even associate with a certain religious organization. We see ourselves as we want to, even when we present evidence to the contrary before others. If I see myself as laid back and patient, but seem constantly agitated, nervous and controlling, my behavior speaks against how I see myself. Is what we think we are match what others observe about us? If not, we are deceiving ourselves.

James will talk extensively about the importance, power, influence and dangers of the tongue, but here he presents its control as a litmus test for the genuineness of religious fervor, commitment, and devotion. If we are unwilling or unable to control what we say, we give indication that we lack the spiritual commitment and strength a true relationship with the Savior affords. Jesus told his followers that what comes out of one’s mouth will ultimately reveal the true desires, thoughts, beliefs, attitudes, goals and values a person harbors in the heart. More religious claims have been destroyed by wagging tongues, deceitful lips, and boastful speech than by most other means. Especially in a world of social media people spew forth words by the gallons, posting religious sayings while vilifying others at the same time. “Loose lips sink ships.” In World War II this motto was used on posters warning people against unguarded talk. More than ever, Christians need to learn to guard their words.

Pure religion is sincere, genuine, real. In relation to loving one’s neighbor, this religion sees even the most helpless and least likely in society to be able to offer help as recipients of compassion. Real religion expresses practical love: it looks after those in need, offering tangible help. In relation to loving God this religion is concerned with avoiding the stains of the world. These stains refer to the ways of the world, the thinking of the world, the attitudes of the world and the talk of the world. Those devoted to God, who want to walk in His ways and please Him, put aside the ways of the world in order to serve Him. They don’t want the pull of the world dragging them away from following Him and they don’t want the influences of the world leaving its mark on them.

“Stains” are a good way of expressing the impact the world has on us. I was working in my store resetting the detergent additives when I dropped a bottle of blue solution. When it hit the floor, the bottle shattered and drops of solution splattered up onto my khaki pants. Those pants still bear the mark, the stain, of that solution. We have been stained by the world’s ways of thinking, talking, and acting. “The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.” “If any person is in Christ, that person is a new creation.” Fortunately, we have access to an effective sin-stain remover. However, we must seek to remain “unstained by the world.” It is possible to keep the stains of the world from leaving its permanent mark on us. Repentance, prayer, Bible study, and constant choices to follow God’s ways will help us keep from those stains.

(James 1:22-25 HCSB) But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his own face in a mirror. For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but one who does good works — this person will be blessed in what he does.

The word for “doer” in the Greek language is the word from which we get the English word “poet.” A poet was a performer, so it was natural to associate performing with doing. We can’t just talk about what the Bible says or listen to our teacher (even intently, the word for listening is an intensive form), we must perform what the Bible tells us to do. Actions speak louder than words. They will believe what you do, not what you say. The proof is in the pudding. These are ways of saying that talk is cheap and that we expect more than lip-service in the family of God.

Already self-deception has been raised on numerous occasions in this first chapter of James. For instance, a person who doubts shouldn’t deceive himself into thinking that he will receive what he requests (verse 7). A person shouldn’t deceive himself into thinking that God is tempting him or that God isn’t the source of goodness and blessing (verse 16). And he shouldn’t deceive himself into thinking that the source of sin is can be blamed on God or others. Self-deception is the worst form of deception. We believe the lies we tell ourselves. Here, we believe that we are benefited in some way be merely listening to a good talk, a challenging sermon, a devotional reading, or a passage of Scripture. We may come away from a time of worship inspired by the moving music, the uplifting message, the electrifying atmosphere, the encouraging words, the accepting hugs and handshakes. We may leave thinking that the problems in our lives will now suddenly be resolved or that the challenging circumstances will disappear. We are in for a huge let down.

I always hated mirrors. They are so accurate and unforgiving. They show exactly what is there. I have this “Robert Redford” idea of myself and my appearance. I may think that I am a dapper, debonair debutante, but the mirror reveals a hick from the sticks. I may not notice that big mole on the side of my nose, but the mirror shows it anyway (and each grandchild has asked about it, wondering what it was, why it was there, and how I got it, before playing with it). I used to try to apologize for it, to change the subject of the conversation, or to act like I didn’t hear the comment. Now, when someone asks about it, I tell them that God gave me a mole because I’m special (grin, wink). If we only glance in the mirror and do nothing to change or improve what we observe, we accomplish nothing from the effort. We look to admire, to check for minor anomalies, or to make modest adjustments. But the look remains the same.

The intense gaze will reveal all of the imperfections, all of the problem areas, all of the needed changes. The intense gaze affords the opportunity to really notice all that is wrong and make all of the necessary modifications. The intense gaze is more painful than the passing glance because it places us under the focused scrutiny of detailed inspection. We only avoid the intense gaze when we don’t really want to know the truth about ourselves or we suspect problems but don’t really want to deal with the issues or make the painful changes that need to be made. I suspect that the reason many Christians avoid a study of God’s Word is this very reason. The laser light of the Word beams its focus directly on the areas where immediate correction is needed. Rather than deal with the situation, we think that we can ignore it. What we fail to remember is that problems don’t resolve themselves and that ignoring the situation only makes matters worse. I have never observed a problem that resolved itself or just disappeared.

The benefits of allowing the Word of God to do surgery in our lives (the Word is “living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword” – Hebrews 4:12), is that, although there will be pain involved as with any surgery, we can finally face the removal of the cancerous sin that is destroying us and experience the true inner healing that we desire. God’s Word is a powerful force in our lives, if we allow its intense scrutiny and power to work in us.

Are you just glancing at the Word of God to receive little bits of encouragement?

Or are you experiencing an intense gaze that is revealing all that God wants and needs to do in you to make you like His Son?

(James 1:21 [HCSB]) Therefore, ridding yourselves of all moral filth and evil, humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save you.

(Colossians 3:9-10 [HCSB])
Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator.

Every morning I get up and I put off my bed clothes, take a shower and put on my work clothes. I wouldn’t think of putting my work clothes on over my bed clothes. That wouldn’t work for me. I wouldn’t think of replacing part of bed clothes with part of my work clothes. So, I take off one set of clothes and replace it with another. In a similar way, both James and Paul talk about the transformation that we should expect as a replacement of one set of thoughts, words, and behaviors which have their origin and foundation in the world system with another set rooted and grounded in God’s Word.

When I would speak with youth groups about the dangers of hypocrisy, seeming to be good on the outside, but hiding sin on the inside, I would dress up in a nice double-breasted suit with a sharp tie and a handkerchief folded neatly in my pocket. What I was hiding was a shirt torn, tattered, and dirty. The collar was neat and the front part exposed to the audience was spotless, but only when I removed my coat did they see the “real” me. Because I was just talking and then, all of a sudden, took off my coat as if nothing was wrong, my display often caught them by surprise. I think it was a good way to illustrate the way we often deal with the problems in our lives. If we can just hide them from others and make ourselves presentable on the outside, we have done enough to solve the problem.

Some people think that they can replace a part of the old clothing (the old life) for the new, such as replacing some bad behaviors with good ones, and this indicates that they have successfully made the change. However, the switching of lives, just like the changing of clothes, is a package deal. We must change our ways of thinking, of speaking, and of acting. Nothing short of this total transformation will suffice. I can’t really say that I have changed my attire, if I haven’t included everything in the set; a torn shirt, mismatched socks, scuffed wingtips, missing belt or even a button, or lint-ridden suit can spoil the entire outfit.

Now, looking at the verse from James, I notice that it begins with “therefore,” and my homiletics professor always told us, “When you see a ‘therefore,’ you should always ask what it’s there for.”  The “therefore” harks back to the previous challenge to be “quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” We know that these are the responses God expects us to have to the trials, tests and temptations of life. We should not let anger overtake us because we cannot, in our anger, accomplish what God wants or respond the way He expects. We shouldn’t blame God for our problems or temptations. We know their source full well. We should not let our position in life excuse our behavior. We must trust that God is working in the situations, circumstances and difficulties of our lives to help us develop maturity. Therefore, we must “put aside” or “get rid of” those things that are holding us back from trusting and serving God.

“All moral filth” emphasizes the nastiness of sin. Often, the problem with seeking to overcome some sin is our cavalier attitude toward it. We may see a particular behavior, way of speaking, or mindset as unhealthy, wrong in God’s eyes, discouraged by others, or simply an inconvenience or problem. We dismiss it, as we would dismiss a tiny stain on our shirt, a small hole in our pants, a scuff mark on a shoe. It’s a slight imperfection that we must work around, that we must deal with, that we must put up with, that we can apologize for. But God wants us to see sin as disgusting, offensive, loathsome. Just as most of us would be embarrassed to attend a formal banquet in jeans and tee-shirt or in filthy, smelly clothing, we should be appalled by the sin in our lives, even the little ones that are barely noticeable.

“All evil” is literally the abounding of evil or overflowing of evil, “excessive evil.” The NIV translates it as “the evil that is so prevalent.” Now, we shouldn’t wait to be moved by evil after it reaches a certain level, as if a lot is bad but a little is okay. The idea that James is presenting is that we see evil in the world at every turn. It is common, it is prevalent, it is pervasive. It is so easy to think like the world, because we are confronted with that mindset everywhere we go. It is easy to get into bad habits of speaking to others, like gossip, slander, and backbiting, because we are faced with them constantly. It is easy to excuse bad behavior by reminding ourselves that this is the way everyone around us behaves. (If everyone decides to jump off a cliff, are you going to…you know, you’ve heard it before). We live in the midst of wickedness, perversion, and filth. That’s why it’s so important to develop a healthy, godly attitude toward sin: it is nasty, filthy, gross, despicable! We want to wipe it clean, wash it away, rid ourselves of its filth.

We can’t just get rid of sin; we must replace it with the Word. We must “humbly accept” the word planted in us. It’s so easy to read what God desires for us in His Word, and to think that maybe He is wrong and maybe we know better and maybe this time things will be different and He will see that we know best. We get cocky and decide that we have a better solution to our problems. We get to feeling rebellious, resenting Him telling us what to do. We compare what He says with what the “experts” are telling us and choose the response that seems “most reasonable” to us. If we will not humble ourselves to seek God, to listen to His voice, to follow His ways, we cannot receive His help. God’s Word can help us, if we let it “take root and grow” in our lives.

So do you see sin as the dirty, filthy, destructive thing it is?

Are you willing to forsake your way to follow God’s way?