Dishonor

This is a tough one...but I'll try. The tough thing about this topic is not writing about it...it's keeping my temper in check. Curious? Read on. Not in the mood to look in the mirror? Stop reading here and come back when you're ready. And yes, I'm looking in the mirror too.

There is a passage in James 2 where I become teary almost every time I say it.

"But you have dishonored the poor man." (James 2:6a)

Actually, there is a lot leading up to and following after this one small sentence and in order to understand why my temper needs checked and I'm teary when I say or read it...I'm going to have to explain a little...or a lot. Please bear with me.

This one line follows hot on the heels of James 1:19-21 where we have been strongly cautioned to be "quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger." (verse 19) James also reminds us that our anger doesn't accomplish "God's righteousness". (verse 20) Dictionary.com defines righteousness as "the quality or state of being just or rightful." So our anger...no matter how "righteous" we may think it may be...does not bring about God's justice, morality or uprightness (also as defined on dictionary.com). 

I believe this warning to check our anger...also called "setting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness"  and to instead "in humility, receive the word implanted" (verse 21) is one that greatly needs to be heeded by the American church culture. This is not the first time I've shared my frustration over what was plastered all over Facebook during the political election season. Too many times to count I was ashamed at the anger, divisiveness and nastiness that was spoken (in our culture...that means typed) by people calling themselves Christians. 

The huge sigh of relief I felt after the election was short-lived, as now, almost two months later comments are still being made! Ugh!...is the only word that will sometimes express my feelings. Unfortunately, I've had to unsubscribe from more than a few people just so I won't harbor anger and bitterness toward them. I would never "unfriend"...but I don't have to have their poison spewed all over my news feed! Enough said!

Or maybe not.

Because James goes on. In chapter 1 he not only tells us to "receive the word" but that we need to prove ourselves to be doers of it. Also, that I should never forget "the kind of person [I] was" (James 1:24) But one more warning that should smack us all out of our bitter jibes and deriding comments is this: "If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless." (James 1:26, emphasis mine) Maybe it's time we start "bridling" our keyboards too! 

Do you want to have "pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father"? Then James not only cautions us to bridle our outbursts...but to also "visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world." (James 1:27) How many people do you know that were pontificating on the evilness of one side or another (and still are), but have actually sat down with a single mom (a.k.a. the widows of our society) or latch-key or fatherless kids (a.k.a. the orphans of our society) and tried to understand why they feel a sense of entitlement or despair? Yeah...I don't know very many who've done this either.

And right before James makes me teary and sad about how we "dishonor the poor man". He warns us yet again to not get too high and mighty about our faith. (see James 2:1-3) In fact, this segment of Scripture in the NASB is entitled "The Sin of Partiality". James wants us not to give favor to the rich and look down upon the poor because "Listen, my beloved brethren, did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?" (James 2:5)

The question I keep wanting to ask when someone is concerned about "entitlement", "hand outs", "redistribution of wealth" and "lazy people that just want society to take care of them", is this: "Do you actually know any poor people?" 

I'm not talking about someone that gets posted on broadcast news, YouTube or elsewhere talking about how great it is to get all of this free help. I'm also not referring to someone that just can't afford to eat at a sit down restaurant. Nor am I alluding to someone that doesn't have the latest iPhone, iPad or accompanying fluff to go with it. No...I'm talking about have you actually sat down and had more than a 5 minute conversation with someone that has to scrape together money for gasoline so they can get to work...which is a job that pays less than $10 an hour (equal to only about $20,000 per year) and probably has to work a second job, has their kids in daycare or before and after school programs, might be in school part-time or full-time, has no husband paying child support, no medical insurance if they or their child gets sick and can't stay home if they are sick because they'll either miss much needed income or worse, lose their job. 

How many grandmas have you conversed with that are living on medicare and social security, raising their grandchildren and trying to help those kids sustain a standard of living that will keep them from being made fun of and bullied at school?

When was the last time you sat down,  held the hand of and prayed with someone who just needed a few forks, a couple of bowls, some decent clothes for a new job and maybe a pillow and blanket so the floor would be more comfortable?

It's been awhile for me too. But when I have, I have walked away not only humbled, but astounded at the ones that say, "No, it's alright...I don't need free food...I get food stamps. Leave it for someone that doesn't have help." They haven't asked for a new set of dishes or towels or sheets that match. They've been thankful and grateful to just get enough to get by.

Are there people that feel entitled to food, clothing, shelter and other assistance? Absolutely! Try taking all of that away from your family for a few weeks and see if you begin to feel like you should be entitled to it too.

And, yeah, yeah...I know there are chronic abusers...I've met a few. I am by no means excusing their laziness or brazen expectations for it to just be handed to them. I'm just hinting at this idea that maybe instead of making blanket statements about the thousands of poor in America (or billions around the world)...might it be more beneficial to sit down with them and find out why they have these behaviors and attitudes?

But see...that's the hard part isn't it? Actually entering into someone's life...messy life...is exactly what we try to avoid. But there is no shirking the responsibility that it is exactly what God calls us to do and Jesus lived out!

James, doesn't let this go and I don't want to either...if we claim to be Jesus followers, in our culture that's called a Christian, then James says our works will put feet to our faith. If we don't have works that match our faith then we are no better than the demons who believe in God. Oh wait! At least "the demons also believe and shudder." (James 2:19, emphasis mine) I've heard a lot of Christians use this passage against people who say they "believe" in a god but live lives contradictory to the Bible's teachings. Interestingly enough, it was actually written to Christians that said they had faith and had no works to back it up. Yes, the ones who were dishonoring the poor!

Is it maybe time for us to start doing some shuddering too?

My loving Abba, I am ashamed at the people we have become! Myself included! We are more concerned about our own comfort...our own toys...our own gluttonous "needs"...that we are more than willing to dishonor the poor with our words of accusation or judgment and our condemnation than we are to cry out for mercy, justice and love on their behalf. How patient and merciful You have been with us! May we never, ever stop looking in the mirror and remembering "what kind of person" we were! (James 1:24) Or maybe the person we would still be if not for your unconditional, undeserved Love! When we are tempted to wade into the filth and wickedness of this age and accuse people who do not know You of not living up to standards that we somehow, miraculously expect them to just understand and live by...may we shut our mouths...close up our keyboards and instead open up Your Word and our hearts to hearing how much YOU love them and want us to as well. May our anger and fear at what appears to be "unfair", "unjust" and "unequal" not drive us to social media and rants about political positions...but instead, may we be driven to our knees to intercede on behalf of the billions who are dying without the knowledge of an Abba who loves them without any limits. And when we've been on our knees long enough to have our hearts broken for the poor, the widow, the sick, the imprisoned, the orphan, the destitute and the outcast and yes...the clueless...in the same way that Your heart has been broken...may we rise up to become the people that you created us to be...a people that is known by our Love for one another. Lord, through your servant James, You have told us that 'blessing Your name and cursing men who have been made in Your likeness' should never come from the same mouth (James 3:9-10). Lord, may it not be so! Instead give us mouths full of praise for You and edification, mercy, hope and love for others. For we know there is no where else in this world they will find these but in You.

Amen!

After this...you may unfriend me. That's okay, if you feel the need to differ with my convictions. Eventually, the only posts that may come up on my Facebook news feed will be photos of grandkids, puppy dogs and cutesy little sayings about rainbows and butterflies. Actually...I'm okay with that too.