SCRIPTURE
Studied: James 1
OBSERVATION
James 1:26-27 ~ If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his 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.
APPLICATION
We often think of religion as we know it in the form of various churches and/or denominations that have similar interpretations of the Word of God, and therefore they worship together. When we become a part of that group, we often feel like we may have religion and that we are a part of a religious group. I don’t know that we will find this anywhere in God’s Word. Instead it is clear from these verses what religion truly is:
- When we, as God’s people, practice keeping a tight rein on our tongues. – I don’t believe that this means that we must never say a word, but rather we should never say an evil word about our brother or sister that God is undoubtedly working on, just as hard as He is doing with us. Let our tongues or mouths or words be used to lift up the name of Jesus, and to lift up His children that are so precious to Him that He sacrificed His Son for.
- Look after orphans and widows – While I don’t have any good examples of orphans that are close enough to use as an example, I do have a very close situation in widows. My dad passed away about 6 years ago and this has placed a tremendous strain on my mom. She is lonely, in spite of having children that she could come and live with. I am especially happy when I call her and find that there are Christians visiting with her. She and my dad always discussed things that needed attention, so now she has no one there to fill that role so it becomes very overwhelming for her to make decisions. These are just two examples of what a widow that we may know may go through. I believe we can understand why it is so important that we look after the orphans and widows., for they are needy people that we can show mercy to and fulfill this characteristic that God used James to speak with us about.
- Keep ourselves holy, and not polluted by the world – we hear so much about what pollutes this earth and its inhabitants. Things of this world that pollute us as Christians are: television, gossip, non-Christians (for their beliefs and life direction is not fed or led by the same biblical beliefs as us), movies, entertainment in general. These are things that pollute and distract us from our goal – to be more like Christ.
PRAYER
- Father, I fall short of Your ideals and too often into the worthless religious concepts warned about here in these verses. I know that time is very short before You come to earth to take your bride, the church, away to be with You in glory. Please help me to live in light of that urgency each and every day. Please help me to look for ways to minister to the orphans and widows. Please help us to identify and keep them in the forefront of our ministry and keep them under close watch. I also beg You Jesus to help me to keep my eyes fixed on You and that old rugged cross. Help me to understand Your ways and the paths on which You would have me trod. With less time to be influenced by this old world and the evil things brought on by Satan, may I always have a closer walk with You and exemplify You and Your character before a lost and polluted world.
Nuggets From God's Word 