There is a whole list of these truisms in the Letter of James, which everybody seemingly knows. For example, “Every good gift comes from heaven” (v.17). “Be swift to listen and slow to speak” (v. 19). “Lay aside filthiness and wickedness” (v. 21). Sounds like our parents, doesn’t it? Pick up your socks…clean behind your ears…come home on time.
James is a good book in the Bible, but it comes with a great deal we already seemingly know.
As I mentioned, this presents us with a challenge. I mean, give us those passages that are often obscure and let us show you how much we know, right? We can show off our knowledge. With the Letter of James, however, we wouldn’t need
preachers because we already know it!
But in James “knowing” is not the problem. The problem James is addressing has to do with “doing.” Hence, the famous passage – Be doers of the word and not hearers who deceive themselves (v. 22).
Apparently, James has folks who are good at knowing, but not so “good” at doing. There is a disconnection.
I can remember one of my mentors always saying to me, “Well, that sounds fine, but what are you going to do about it”? It is kind of like a player who has great practice skills but can’t translate the skills of practice in the game. Or an actor in front of the camera: when the director says “action,” the performer needs to act. The performer might know all the lines, but the moment the scene begins, the action starts!
So, in James: knowing what to do is not as important as doing what you
know you need to do.
Questions: what do you need to do to carry out the faith this week? What is the Spirit challenging you to perform? What is Jesus wanting you to do?
Rev. Dr. Andy Kinsey
James is a good book in the Bible, but it comes with a great deal we already seemingly know.
As I mentioned, this presents us with a challenge. I mean, give us those passages that are often obscure and let us show you how much we know, right? We can show off our knowledge. With the Letter of James, however, we wouldn’t need
preachers because we already know it!
But in James “knowing” is not the problem. The problem James is addressing has to do with “doing.” Hence, the famous passage – Be doers of the word and not hearers who deceive themselves (v. 22).
Apparently, James has folks who are good at knowing, but not so “good” at doing. There is a disconnection.
I can remember one of my mentors always saying to me, “Well, that sounds fine, but what are you going to do about it”? It is kind of like a player who has great practice skills but can’t translate the skills of practice in the game. Or an actor in front of the camera: when the director says “action,” the performer needs to act. The performer might know all the lines, but the moment the scene begins, the action starts!
So, in James: knowing what to do is not as important as doing what you
know you need to do.
Questions: what do you need to do to carry out the faith this week? What is the Spirit challenging you to perform? What is Jesus wanting you to do?
Rev. Dr. Andy Kinsey
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