A Spotlight on my Soul

 

James 4:11-12

Often, I would tell the young couples we taught that I avoided the book of James because the Holy Spirit brought me under such conviction each and every time I did a study in that book.  It was done in jest, or was it, because God has used this book of the Bible as a spotlight on my soul.  I’m sure most of you do not fall prey to the schemes of the enemy, but I’m a very slow learner, and when I read these two verses, my response is guilty as charged.  These verses state the following; “Do not speak evil against one another, brothers.  The one, who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law.  But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.  There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy.  But who are you to judge your neighbor?

Often, we humans play a game, it can be a fun game but that depends on what role you are playing in the game, it is called, “Got’ you.”  It is played in this way; you con someone into believing a false story, and one day that is set aside for the game is April 1, we call it April fools day.  But that is not the only time it is played, we do it in marriage, at work, church, school, and with the ones we love, and often it is done when you catch the other person in a misstatement, an exaggeration, or just ignorance of a subject.  The bottom line of the game is to show that you are superior to the others in the group, and you show little or no concern for the one the joke is played on.

In the fifties, yes I’m getting old, and with age comes time to reflect on the past, and I’m blessed in many ways, an one of the ways is in the last week-end in April, Jan and I go to Concan, Texas and spend the weekend with many who have made that journey in time with us.  I bet you would like to be a fly on the wall to hear some of the stories that get told, it is a great time and each year it seems to get better.  But this is an observation, and I must say it is not the norm, but some of the folks seem to miss what the person has become and are still trying to keep them in a box that they may have long since left.  It never happens when they are present, but after they have walked away, words are said about their character that goes back to who they were in school, not the person who just walked away, and James is saying, “Do not speak evil against one another brothers” and I must include he also is referring to ladies. 

I’m guilty, I’ve taken on the role of judge, but God is clear, there is only one who can look into a person’s heart, and you or I cannot do that.  Can you save someone from themselves, in short the answer is no.  Can you redeem a person who has made wrong choices and is headed for destruction?  Once more the answer is no, but God who judges rightly, who sees the intent of the heart, and who is able to save and to destroy, gets a little upset when we try to take His role; He only has the right to judge.  So who are we to judge our neighbor or friend?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice