(click link to read passage before reading reflection below)
Reflection:
Martin Luther didn't really like the book of James. He thought it didn't talk enough about the free grace of Christ, and instead put too much emphasis on good works.
However, there is a key piece of wisdom in the above passage. At first glance, the first verse may seem to support Luther's reason for disliking James. "Show by your good life that your works are done…" But look at the context. In essence, James is reminding us that any good works done for selfish ambition are actually unspiritual and devilish.
No, the "good works" of which James speaks spring forth from wisdom. Biblical wisdom is the human imitation of divine care for all. Just look at the adjectives James uses in that final verse: this wisdom is peaceful, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. Doesn't sound like any human wisdom I've ever encountered.
So, before we lose our Lutheran grounding in God's undeserved grace by focusing on how we can be such great people, let's remember that the above adjectives describe divine love, and our challenge is simply to pray every day, every hour, even every minute, that as much as possible, that divine love flows through us to others.
It's a bit like being called to be a hose. I know that sounds weird...stick with me.
Hoses don't do anything special. In fact, if they are not plugged into a source, they don't do anything at all. But when they are plugged into a source, they simply take the water they receive and deliver it somewhere else. The fact that it is able to carry out that task doesn't make it a really good hose, or worthy of any special praise (imagine patting it and saying "good hose!"). No, that's ridiculous - that's just what hoses DO - they take water from the source and deliver it where it is needed.
So it is with our good works. We take the wisdom, grace, humility, and love we receive from God, and simply offer those things to those we encounter. We don't need a big pat on the back, or for someone to make it all about us. It's just what Christians DO.
That's how a Lutheran reads the book of James (at least how this Lutheran does…)
Prayer: God of grace, make us a conduit for your love today, that others might come to know, not how great we are, but how great you are. Amen.
