the profundity of james

It has been quite some time since I last posted here.  For those of you faithful ones who check in here from time to time to read up on my life and ministry here in Nairobi and who are committed to praying for here, I'd like to explain why.

I love to write.  I really do.  But I've found in my process as a writer that when sharing something publicly in a forum such as this, that I have a certain set of criteria that needs to be met before I share something.  One: I never write in frustration or anger.  That's for emails to my mom, who in her unending patience puts up with my occasional venting.  Two: I don't write when I'm directly in the middle of a challenging experience.  "Directly" is the key word here.  We are all constantly in the middle of trials, aren't we?  But for me, I try to wait until I've listened for a bit to the Lord and I feel like He's given me some perspective on what He's walking me through.  And three: I don't write when I don't have anything to say.  

I haven't been angry and I've certainly been listening to lessons from the Lord.  And it's not that I don't have anything to say.  I'm just still processing.  But it's in the works.  This has actually been a power-packed season in my life of experiences and messes and lessons, and I'm anxious to find a quiet moment in my life (can you say contradiction?) to write it all out. Until then, let me share with you words from a far better writer than I.

It was my turn to lead staff devotions this past Tuesday.  Feeling the pressure of speaking during a very difficult time for our school, I decided it was best to just get into the Word and allow that to speak to my colleagues for itself.  I've been in James lately, and I've been in awe of how holistic this book it.  James doesn't mess around.  This is hard-hitting truth, and completely applicable for every Believer in every season of life.  So I condensed the entire book into a one-page handout for our staff.  If you have the time, read it.  Meditate on it.  Soak it in.  Let the Lord to speak to you as He has to me.  And if you're wanting to know how to pray for me and for this school and community, here you go:

James wrote to Jewish Christians who had been scattered throughout the Mediterranean world because of persecution.  In their hostile surroundings, they were tempted to let intellectual agreement pass for true faith.  This letter can have rich meaning for us as we are reminded that genuine faith transforms lives.  We are encouraged to put our faith into action.  It is easy to say we have faith, but true faith will produce loving actions towards others.

James 1 ² Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. ⁶ But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 

¹² Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

¹⁶ Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. ¹⁷Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. ¹⁸ He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

¹⁹ My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry

²² Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. ²³ Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror ²⁴ and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ²⁵ But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.  ²⁶ Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.

James 2 ¹² Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, ¹³ because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

²⁶ As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

James 3 ¹ Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. ² We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.

⁵Likewise, 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.

¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.

¹⁷ But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. ¹⁸Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

James 4 ¹ What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? ²You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. ³When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

⁷ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸ Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. ⁹ Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. ¹⁰ Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

James 5 ⁷ Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. ⁸ You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.

¹¹ As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

¹³ Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. ¹⁴ Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. ¹⁶Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.