Reading James

He reads surely and I listen. This, the spoken Word, reeling freely and fully around the room, verses lingering in mid-air, almost mid-breath. His dog, his pillow, and I recline too. My mind is sorting, stacking, and saving every sweet word-morsel for the mind’s library. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God that gives to all men liberally…” James 1:5

Who doesn’t “lack wisdom”? I know I do. Therefore we must frequently ask for it. I am barely capable of swinging my feet out from under warm covers to plant them on the floor beside my bed without wisdom. He reads on…

“For the wrath of man does not bring about the righteousness of God.” James 1:20

“But be doers of the word and not hearers only…” (Verse 22) “What does it profit my brethren, though a man may say he has faith, and not have works? Can faith save him?” 2:14 “Even so, faith if it has not works, is dead, being alone.” 2:17

James goes on to say much more. God gives grace to the humble, but resists the proud. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up. Speak no evil of one another, etc. And here in chapter 3 we see provocation for my post today:

5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.

It should not be! We should not use our tongues to hurt those we love the most. No man can tame the tongue. However, we must unceasingly try! Just as we parents are apt to lose our temper at the sin of our children, we are called not to cause them to sin. Therefore, we must tame our tongues before we discipline them. James helped me with my son today. The Word is strong, efficient, and piercing to the soul of every man, even the ones still stuck in 12 year old bodies. ~Blessings.