James 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdomwhich he hath promised to them that love him?
Oh, James! Your words of wisdom are so clear and direct, yet gentle and encouraging. I love James! He has a way of setting us straight, and guiding us along the path that leads to our Heavenly Home, an eternal place of refuge, and a place of joyful rest. As I pondered on a challenge this week, I couldn’t help but see his tender advice as helping us keep an eternal perspective while living here on earth. This week, let’s look further ahead, let’s seek to please God, and to see things as they really are, Let’s have an eternal perspective.
To understand this “eternal perspective”, let’s look no further than the example of young Joseph Smith who took the advice of James and sought the Lord’s guidance in his quest to follow him. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.” (James 1:5-6) With the faith that only one “childlike” boy could muster, Joseph found a quiet place in the woods to seek the Lord’s wisdom, and not his own. He came to the Lord prepared to listen, and with that he received an answer, not the answer I am sure he expected, but one that would take a seemingly impossible amount of faith, strength, trust, and courage. With nothing wavering he accepted the answer, and held true to his increased heavenly knowledge and responsibility. With that as our example, let’s approach James with an attitude of humility, prepared to increase our understanding of our earthly mission with eternity as the Big Goal. Let us be prepared with a pen and paper to jot down impressions that we get of things in our lives that we can adjust or change to move us closer to God, and move us to help others move closer to God.
James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
Let’s start with faith since faith is the precursor to understanding the other simple truths of which James testifies. If we have true faith we will be willing to act on those things that are taught to us, and to make adjustments in our lives where the Lord prompts us to do so. He tells us that faith without action falls short of full potential, “Faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” (James 2:20) The two co-exist, just like the Q needs the U, faith needs works in order to effect our lives and those lives around us. All of God’s power that he has allowed access to here on earth requires faith, which in turn requires the work that accompanies that faith. It is that faith that we seek as we seek to become perfect as our father. It is through our faith and efforts that we have access to the cleansing, fortifying, and strengthening power of the atonement. “By works was faith made perfect?” (James 2:22) This is what shuts down the adversary, because he knows that there is one God, and that through his power all mankind has the ability to escape the chains of Satan, and in turn bind him, due to the inability for Satan’s attacks to penetrate the hearts of the faithful. “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” (James 2:19)
James 4:77 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
With understanding that faith without works is dead, we need to have patience. Patience is one of my favorite eternal perspectives because we all need it, and we need a whole lot of it. It is good to understand that everyone has struggles, it’s part of mortality, even if you can’t see the struggle of others, they have them. To seek perfection is a valid journey, but to obtain it is eternal. We will not reach perfection while on earth, and neither will anyone else, so with that understanding let’s have patience with others. Let’s be quick to understand, and slow to judge. “Speak not evil one of another, brethren…grudge not one against another…but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself and pray one for another, that ye might be healed.” (James 4:11, 5:9, 2:8, 5:16) In seeking to uplift others, and to show respect through understanding, it is crucial that we are patient with the situation and bridle our tongue. (James 1:26) The best way to do this is to not say anything that isn’t helpful, kind, or useful. It is best to not talk or react if we can’t do so with the spirit of the Lord as our guide. The Lord is not one of contention, and that spirit will cause the Holy Ghost to depart. James gives lots of encouragement and chastisement to the use of our tongues.
James 1:19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath
We also need to remember to be patient with ourselves. Life is hard. It is full of temptations and trials. We must recognize that the Lord fully understands our situations. He is more than aware, he is concerned, and ready to help us. If we will turn to him for comfort, he will help us to endure our trials well. “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” (James 1:12) Remember it is an eternal journey, this life is but a “vapour, that appeareth for a little time.” (James 4:14) Let us understand that “trying of your faith worketh patience,” that we can count as joy. (James 1:2-3)
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
What a beautiful simplification for us to understand, that as we find joy in our trials and tribulations, we will be perfected through their refining power, which is but for a short while, with eternal crowning promises, that will come to us as we humble ourselves in pure love of God and love others as ourselves.
James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
-Written by Sherri Jorgensen
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