James 4:6-10
But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. James 4:6-10 (NIV)
My contrarian nature had a difficult time grasping James’ message in verses 7 and 9. I try to resist the devil, but I don’t believe he’s fleeing from me, in spite of my goals of coming near to God and submitting to Him. The devil’s assaults on us always seem to be around the corner. Then in verse 9, I don’t believe God expects us to be in a continual state of grief, mourning and gloom.
So, I decided to look beyond verse 10 in an attempt to compile my devotion. Verses 11 and 12 from James 4 spoke to me.
11 Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?
Unfortunately, those words really speak to me, and are a daily challenge. Not judging my neighbor or speaking against them. I’ve thought this many times….it’s not my place to judge others. As stated in verse 12 I know, there is only one Lawgiver and Judge.
A recent Bible App devotion spoke of being a “Peace Maker,” rather than a “Peace Keeper.”
https://bible.com/videos/49793?utm=video&language_tag=en
For the most part, I’ve reverted to being a Peace Keeper, avoiding conversations that may lead to conflict, rather than engaging to understand the views of friends and acquaintances. Many times, avoiding those conversations takes much less effort, and allows me to judge their views.
After watching this devotion, I set a goal to be a Peace Maker, attempting to build bridges through engaging in what can be difficult conversations. I don’t expect I’ll fully succeed in that endeavor with everyone who has different views than me, but through the support of another member of our Community Group at the Table Community Church, we’ve committed to assisting each other in becoming Peace Makers. I know one thing for certain, it will take a great deal of prayer, requesting God to help me step out of my comfort zone, to bless me with the words and temperament to reach that goal of being a Peace Maker.
Questions for Reflection:
- What approach works for you to avoid judging others?
- Are there conversations or situations you’ve avoided, which provided an opportunity to be a Peace Maker?
Prayer:
Father God, you know my sin of judging others. Help me to remember each day, the grace You grant us. I pray for Your guidance, and ask that You bless me with the strength to speak words that build bridges to become a Peace Maker.
In Your name I pray. Amen.
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