The lesson this week was taken from the book of James in the Bible and is focused on the topic of pure religion as defined in James 1:27: Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
When we read the part about visiting the fatherless and the widows, this of course brings to mind the qualities of charity and compassion. This is pure religion indeed, to be the hands of the Lord on earth, to serve them as He would serve them, if He were here in person.
The second part of the scripture is also interesting, as it talks about keeping ourselves unspotted from the world. James mentions ways in which we could fall into the trap of worldliness, and we discussed them in our class. Some of the scriptures we talked about were:
James 1:19 – Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.
How crucial it is that we be slow to speak! If we would practice pure religion, we would listen more carefully to what those around us are saying, we would use care in how we responded to them, and we would turn away from our natural tendency to criticize. Our teacher made the wonderful observation that in no time does Christ ever command us to criticize. It simply has no place in our religion.
In verse 26, we read: If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.
We can profess to be filled with the Spirit and to have a close relationship with our Heavenly Father, but if we are cutting with our words and refuse to acknowledge that we have caused pain or offense with the things we’ve said, our profession of religion doesn’t mean anything.
In James 3:2 , we read: For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
What an interesting concept. The tongue is hard to control, so if we are able to control our tongues, we most likely have mastered ourselves well enough to control our other faults as well.
3. Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
4. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.
5. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
Once we control our tongues, our whole bodies are controlled. Just as a bit in a horse’s mouth can control the whole body, and just as a small helm can control a whole ship, our words can control our actions. If we can speak kindly in the midst of upheaval, our actions will most likely also be kind. How much less prone to lashing out in anger would we be if we managed to respond calmly. How much less likely to hit or to throw things if we managed to control our words? Doesn’t yelling nearly always accompany losing our tempers?
Much of the book of James is devoted to the concept of controlling our words. We know that we can use our words to build someone up or to tear them down. We can be having a wonderful day, then encounter someone who says a negative word and we’ll feel as though everything is wrong. Let us learn to control our words and to use them to build up the kingdom rather than tearing down the servants.
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