Today’s readings: James 1-3, Psalm 126
James 1:19-27
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
When I was about 12 years old, I decided to play church with my sister. I got out our kitchen step stool, set it up like a pulpit, got some crackers and grape juice, and mimicked giving the Lord’s Supper to my sister. It was an innocent mistake, and one that some might find cute. But it also provides a glimpse into a very dangerous practice: playing religion.
James will have none of that. He begins his letter by addressing Jewish believers of the dispersion — God’s people scattered throughout the Mediterranean world. And he writes to them about real faith, real life, and real religion.
Real faith, because they are to bear up under trials of various kinds, believing that God works through those difficult times to make them stronger and more mature.
Real life, because he talks about things like trials, favoritism, listening to and doing the word of God, and controlling the tongue.
Real religion, because he specifically takes religion beyond outward forms to caring for widows and orphans and remaining untainted by the things of the world.
I know that some people want to be quite careful in their manner of worship. I see fellow pastors expressing their faith through formal prayers and historic worship forms. Those are good things. But I also see believers worshiping in very different ways — like the Hispanic worshipers I observed just recently when I visited a church seeking to chart its way forward. Those are good as well.
But at that same meeting we were led to consider two very real needs for God’s people in their real religion. One was the vital importance of prayer. As I reflect on that meeting — it was earlier this evening as I write this — I wonder whether we are desperate enough that our prayers become not merely strong wishes, but pleas to the King of the universe before his throne of grace.
The second need is brotherly love — love for one another and love for God. Here James leads the way. Although he doesn’t write about love in quite the same way John does in his letters, he is all about love: love for the widow and orphan, love for the poor and needy, and love that honors God through faith that is much more than intellectual assent.
As a 12-year-old boy, my pretend church was, I knew, pretend. But we do not have to pretend today when we gather to hear God’s word and receive his Supper. That is real food for the soul. Nor dare we pretend to have faith while ignoring the poor and needy. Real faith moves us toward real people with real needs.
And through it all, Jesus is glorified and honored. He is the source of such love. He hears our prayers, sustains us in our trials, and gives us himself in his word and Supper. He loves us so much!
Follow the Word is a daily Bible reading and devotional ministry of St. John Lutheran Church, Cypress, Texas.
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