We began the book of James this week. Written by “James, a servant of God,” one key word that could describe this book is "tests." James deals with several practical tests that can come to the Christian, exhorting us to walk the talk.
In this book, we will consider our behavior when we go through trials. We will see the challenge of controlling our tongue. We will be encouraged about where to go when we don't know where to turn. But we must be careful not to make a "to-do" list out of the book of James. It is dangerous to turn our relationship with God into a list of do's and do not’s. Why? Because simply following a list of rules does not guarantee a heart tender toward God.
I grew up in what many would consider a legalist educational environment. Sometimes, I miss that, to be quite honest, because it falsely feels like an easier way to measure progress. As a doer and achiever, I lean toward being most comfortable when I can tangibly measure my success on a project. For example, I don't like to think of myself as greedy, but I'm beginning to see more and more how much money motivates me in making choices about what I think I should do with my life. Money can be a tangible measure (we think) of our "success." I was good in school and my grades provided a tangible measure of achievement. (Ironically, certain "proofs" of my doing well in school have been lost or discarded accidentally, so I cannot hang them on my wall of achievement. Surely there is a lesson there...)So, I am one that could easily take the book of James and love its practical applications because they can assure me whether or not I am doing well. However, I encourage our readers who are following this blog (even if you are not in the email discussion group) to open your hearts to what the book of James will tell us about our hearts, realizing that our behaviors spring from what we truly believe.
For this week, read any introductory material that your Bible provides so that you can know the context, audience, and other facts about this book. And please, leave your comments and observations!
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