Cindy Donaldson

James 1:26-27 NIV

Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. 

Reflection:

What is your religion? Saying you are religious can mean many things. It can mean that you are a professing Christian, loving the Lord and giving your life to follow God. It can mean that you go through the motions of Christianity, but your faith is hollow and your motions are for comfort or for show. We can also be religious in our worship of worldly idols, including family, wealth, or status.

Throughout James, the author instructs us to keep our tongues in check, as the byproducts of a wagging tongue (bitterness, judgment, selfishness, and so on) are in direct contradiction to what James calls the “royal law” (2:8), which is loving your neighbor as yourself.

Warning against a “worthless” religion is an important choice of words here in the NIV translation. Can our religion be rendered worthless by our own actions? This passage seems to suggest so. Some may believe that the only “worth” in Christianity is in their own personal salvation. Were that the case, then a wagging tongue and embracing the polluted ways of the world would not pose a dilemma. In this scenario, you can keep your faith in Jesus in one category of your life, much like a pet in a cage, but otherwise live freely.

Thankfully, for us, true faith is attainable, as James teaches. He tells us that the path that is named as pure and faultless religion, is one of caring for others and resisting the dark pull of the world. We are invited into a more loving religion—the essence of what Jesus preached and lived. We are invited to live out the Great Commission.

It may be time for us to take an inventory of our actions and judge them against James’ tough teachings. Is one of your most comforting pastimes sitting with friends and critiquing others? “Bless her heart, but did you see…?” Gossip is sometimes the easiest way to connect. Do we hoard our resources – time and wealth – and give just a paltry helping to those in need? We all fail, and by God’s great grace and a gospel of second chances, we are saved and we can try to be better next time. But when we are tempted to stray from James’ wise teachings, let’s ask ourselves if what we are doing is the work of Kingdom building. If it’s not, we always have the opportunity to refocus and redirect our efforts.

We profess our faith in a religion that is about much more than self. It is about loving our neighbor, it is about caring for the vulnerable, it is about knowing what we stand for. Jesus did all of these and empowers us to do the same.

Prayer:
Gracious God, thank you for being the God of second chances. And thank you for providing me scripture that teaches me just what I need to know. Help me follow your Word so that I can honor you and play my small role in reflecting your love and light. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.