The sting in James’ letter is clear here. This section begins by asking a series of questions: “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?” (4:1). These questions are followed with serious accusations regarding the listeners intentions and desires. These Jews are pursuing their own desires rather than trying to follow God. A quick note about the audience: these appear to be Jewish Christians because in 1:1 the letter is addressed “To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad” clarifying these are Jews; and in 2:3 James says “My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality” which seems to presume these are Christians as well. While I can’t specifically put a date on the timing of James letter (I’m sure other scholars have identified approximate timings), James is addressing a group of Jewish Christians that either left Jerusalem due to persecution.
Living in America, these verses hit directly at my heart. The “self-help” sermons abound and the “Prosperity Gospel” dominates the majority of “Christian” culture. Not everyone gets caught in this trap, but it is extremely tempting! How many people wish their troubles would just go away because God lifted His golden finger to Midas your life? James pointedly states these Christians pray in hopes of fulfilling their pleasures. How many times as a child was I taught to pray for this toy or that toy; this result or that result instead of asking God to help me gain wisdom, kindness, help others or even just give me my daily bread? The Lord’s prayer is really quite simple.
Matthew 6:9-13: “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
This is not the prayer I often hear (even from my own lips). This revolution of praying is quite personal. Am I content with God’s provision today? Generally, I ask for tomorrow’s provision because I doubt God’s faithfulness to provide. Am I being like the lily of the field or the birds of the air in trusting God (Matt. 6:25-34)? More often than naught, my heart argues with God letting Him know my weakness and doubt. My tendency is far more similar to the Israelites coming out of Egypt (Ex. 16) than like Jesus. God provides mana and I instantly turn around looking to horde it for myself when His promise was “daily bread” not “weekly, monthly or yearly.” Conventional wisdom suggests that hording is proper because the future is unpredictable. However, God is continuously reminding us to trust Him over trusting our earthly treasures. Not everyone is Joseph, specifically told by God to store food for a famine. The reality is some of us are his brothers, their families, his servants or the people of Egypt that were blessed by Joseph’s obedience to God. God still provided in that scenario; Joseph on his own did not know a famine was coming. God blessed him with the interpretation of dreams and God raised him up to lead for the salvation of Israel.
I know that today (the day I am writing-Jan. 12, 2021), many, many Americans are either terrified or shaken by recent happenings in the United States and are looking for hope and peace. Please let this be an encouragement to you: Jesus is your hope and your peace; don’t let the instability of the world around you sink your house into the sea (Matt. 7:24-27). Build your house on the Rock by asking for wisdom and the courage to persist walking faithfully in the Spirit.
For those with an entrepreneurial mind, heed James’ warning: “Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins” (James 4:13-17).
My mind is harkened back to the Garden of Eden when God cursed Adam. Adam’s curse is: “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return” (Gen. 3:17-19). This curse lines up with James assessment and Jesus sermon in Matthew 5-7. We are short lived people; breathing today and dying tomorrow. All our efforts produce “thorns and thistles.” This is not good. Our effort is rewarded with unfruitful and unsatisfying materials. Thorns and thistles do not fill the belly or bring joy to our hearts. It is working without receiving a paycheck. Yet, what is the point? The point is that God provides! James points out two flaws: asking God to fulfill vanity and misplaced self-trust. Ask God with a pure heart and trust Him to provide! It is so, so simple an idea. It is approaching God like a child approaches their parent. I want to finish by quoting Proverbs 3 completely. Stop and contemplate it; this is God’s teaching of Wisdom given through Solomon.
Proverbs 3
My son, do not forget my teaching,
But keep my commands in your heart,
For they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity.
Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
Bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart.
Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge him,
And he will make your paths straight.
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the Lord and shun evil.
This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.
Honor the Lord with your wealth,
With the firstfruits of all your crops;
Then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
And your vats will brim over with new wine.
My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline and do not resent his rebuke,
Because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
As a father the son he delights in.
Blessed is the man who finds wisdom,
The man who gains understanding,
For she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold.
She is more precious than rubies;
Nothing you desire can compare with her.
Long life is in her right hand;
In her left hand are riches and honor.
Her ways are pleasant ways,
And all her paths are peace.
She is a tree of life to those who embrace her;
Those who lay hold of her will be blessed.
By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations,
By understanding he set the heavens in place;
By his knowledge the deeps were divided,
And the clouds let drop the dew.
My son, preserve sound judgement and discernment,
Do not let them out of your sight;
They will be life for you,
An ornament to grace your neck.
Then you will go on your way in safety,
And your foot will not stumble;
When you lie down you will not be afraid;
When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
For the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared.
Do not withhold good from those who deserve it,
When it is in your power to act.
Do not say to your neighbor,
“Come back later; I’ll give it tomorrow” –
When you have it with you.
Do not plot harm against your neighbor,
Who lives trustfully near you.
Do not accuse a man for no reason –
When he has done you no harm.
Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways,
For the Lord detests a perverse man but takes the upright into his confidence.
The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked,
But he blesses the home of the righteous.
He mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble.
The wise inherit honor,
But fools he holds up to shame.
