Warning Against Judging Others

" Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you-who are you to judge your neighbor?" (James 4:11-12, NIV).

The first statement in this admonition from James might be translated: "Do not speak evil of one another" or "do not disparage one another." Disparage was a word that meant to de-rank, or to lower in rank or reputation, even to marry below one's class; to depreciate or to degrade. In James' day, the Christians still thought highly of and sought to live by the Jewish law. He reminded his readers (hearers) that there is only one Lawgiver and Judge. Everyone reading this would know immediately that James meant God, "the One who can save and destroy." Therefore, who are they to pass judgment on a neighbor, or to speak out against the law? Slander was regarded by the Jews as a very serious sin, although their law did not say specifically: "Thou shalt not slander." Anyone who slandered-brought false charges against, made false statements about, or defamed the character of -another was claiming for himself the function of the law. Here James is again sounding a warning as Jesus did in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus warned about the seriousness of taking the law into one's own hands and judging others: "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from you (sic) brother's eye." (Matthew 7:1-5). We need to nail down the concept of receiving the same judgment as that with which we judge. Most of us must admit to having a plank in our own eyes. We are hardly qualified at all to judge others lest we be met with more severe judgment.

Eugene Peterson in The Message Bible stated these verses plainly and in every-day language which we can easily understand: "Don't bad-mouth each other, friends. It's God's Word, his Message, his Royal Rule, that takes a beating in that kind of talk. You're supposed to be honoring the Message, not writing graffiti all over it. God is in charge of deciding human destiny. Who do you think you are to meddle in the destiny of others?" (James 1:7-10). Unfortunately, we have strong tendencies to judge. Shall I saw we even like to judge? But let us remember what we say in the Disciple's (known as the Lord's) Prayer: "Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever." God alone has the power to judge. Our role is to help others, not to judge, to witness to, not to criticize; to love, not to condemn. Can we measure up?

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Saturday, October 23, 2010

Parable of the Two Houses

“ ‘Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.’ When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.” (Matthew 7:24-28, NIV) [See Luke 6:46-49]

This is a very familiar parable, two houses, one built on a solid foundation and one on the sand. As children in Vacation Bible School we no doubt heard the story and even sang the action song, “The wise man built his house upon the rock.” Even though we have known and read this parable most of our lives if we are Christians and students of the Bible, we sometimes overlook the strong truths Jesus wanted to convey, then and now, by this story. This parable is prefaced by the important words, “everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man…” Discipleship first involves hearing the words of the Lord. Then hearing is followed by heeding and by doing. The parable is one of practicality. Any person building a house knows that the foundation is vital to a sound, lasting structure. Unless care is given to the foundation, the building will be insecure when winds blow and storms pound. Likewise, in building our faith and conducting our life based upon our faith, we must have the sure foundation of Jesus Christ who declared, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no man comes to the Father but by me” (John 14:6). This is so important in our day when New Age and other cultic philosophies vy (sic) for the Truth in Jesus Christ. Beware! Discern! Think! Pray!

In giving this parable, Jesus was referring to a scripture his hearers would have known. He was also basing the truth upon practical knowledge of carpentry and building. The scripture is found in Proverbs 10:25: “When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever” (NIV). Likewise, from a practical viewpoint, if we build a house or if we purchase one already built, it would be foolish not to give attention to the sure foundation and how the building is erected, “from the ground up” as we often say. In our faith, we first listen and learn and then we put into practice, we do, we act. The only sure foundation for faith and practice is Jesus Christ. Our part is to first get that foundation and then to build upon it. And regardless of what storms may come in life, we are safely anchored. Praise be to God!

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Thursday, September 2, 2010

Walk in Wisdom

“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:15-17, NKJV) [Read Ephesians 5:15-21].

Walking in wisdom always requires seeking God as guide. And how can a person do that? First, avidly and sincerely study the Word of God, for it is, as the Psalmist declares, “a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105). From the Word of God, written and preserved for our edification and wisdom, the issues of life are covered. Add to Bible study prayer. “Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him when He is near” (Isaiah 55:6). Jesus promised that if we “ask…seek…knock” (Matthew 7:7) we will receive of the Lord. It is imperative that we “walk in the wisdom of the Lord” at this time, for “the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:16). We have only to listen to a newscasts or read the daily paper to know, indeed, that we live in very troublous and evil times, with fraud, murder, subterfuge, wars, every evil the mind can conceive afoot in our society. We could become very depressed, give up and say, “Why try?” But the God-seeking heart knows that above all human deviations God is in control. And in wisdom we seek to walk in His way and in His will. And moreover, He will grant us the strength to walk in His way.

The cited passage for today tells us “not to be drunk with wine which leads to debauchery,” (Ephesians 5:18). Sobriety and abstinence from drugs and alcohol are necessary for wisdom to be operative. We need all the “brain-power” we can muster to be on guard against evil and to do good. And an excellent way to approach each day is to invite the Lord into all that you do. Begin by praise, “singing and making music in your heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:19). Furthermore, “give thanks to God the Father in everything” (v. 20). Now, that is a hard one to do. Personally, I have had to struggle with giving thanks for my husband’s condition of Alzheimer’s. How can “bad things happen to good people?” But there are so many things for which to give thanks: his care, provision for it, his comfort and meeting his needs as much as possible. Thanks is so much better than pity or regret. “Be very careful, then, how you live, --not as unwise but as wise—making the most of every opportunity (Eph. 5:15). God is in control. Therefore, walk in the wisdom of God. And ‘be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ’ (Eph. 5:21). These are required in the circumspect walk. May we think on these things and sincerely seek to follow the paths of wisdom.

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Keep on Asking, Seeking, Knocking

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, it will be opened.” –Matthew 7:7-8 (ESV).

I read these verses from Matthew 7—ask, seek, knock—and beseech God in prayer for things that I sincerely think I am needing to have come to pass. Why, since God promises that in asking, seeking, knocking fulfillment will come, are my requests not answered, or why do I have to wait so long?

I must remember that Jesus gave the teaching we have above in what we call His “Sermon on the Mount.” It is the best sermon we can find anywhere on how disciple should live, think, act, react, pray, conduct his/her life. I should not extract these two verses—with the action they indicate (keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking)—from the context of what Jesus teaches in the Sermon. He makes it very clear in the sermon that the focus of the Christian’s life should not be egocentric—always seeking for what I want. Rather, the true way to God is narrow: “small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a new find it.” (Mt. 7:14). I am to ask, seek, knock within God’s will for me. Just as I would not give bad gifts to my earthly children or to those I love, how much more than I does God know about giving good gifts to me, or, in this context, answering my “asking, seeking, knocking” by saying “wait awhile” or “No”.

I gain additional perspective on how I should ask from James 4:2b-3:

“You do not have because you do not ask. Ye ask, and do not receive because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” (NEV)

Asking suggests dependence. I am depending on God to supply my needs, to answer prayers of intercession for others, asking for answers on challenges faced. And even though He knows what those are before I ask Him, He is my Father, and as His child, I go in trust to Him, asking him, indicating my dependence on Him.

Seeking suggests yearning. Oh! How I yearn to know more about God, and to experience the good He has stored up for me! I yearn for God’s goodness and for His good gifts for me. “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, O God.” –Psalm 41:1 (NIV) Seeking is my way of finding God daily! I read of devout Christians who named themselves, using a spiritually-connected adjective following their name—as ______, the Faithful; _________, the obedient. What would I name myself, I thought. And immediately it came back: Ethelene, the Seeker.

Knocking suggests persistence. In His Sermon, Jesus wanted to show disciples (and now I’m included in that circle!) how to grow in faith, how to conduct the Christian life. We keep on knocking at the door of the Giver of every good and perfect gift. A wonderful illustration of His being on the other side of our door is Holman Hunt’s magnificent painting of Jesus at the Door. Jesus stands on the other side already, ready to come in, ready to bring what it is I need. As Hunt indicates, the latch opens from the inside. I must lift that latch and let Him come in to bring His mercy and grace.

Oh, storm-tossed and sometimes weak disciple that I am, I keep on asking, seeking, knocking! Selah!

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Asking, Seeking, Knocking - (A Lesson in Daily Dependence on God)

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find;
knock, and it shall be opened unto you; For every one
that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth;
and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” --Matthew 7:7-8 (KJV)

Standing in Galilee above the lake
Where Jesus spoke so long ago
I thought anew of how to take
His words to help disciples grow.

“Ask, seek, knock,” He urged,
Giving results of each action bold;
Not selfishly (this egotism purged)
Will help us do what we are told

By Abba, Father, whose noble gifts
To us are always for our good;
And nothing too small should we lift
To Him for seeking what He would

Have us do, or show us the way:
Ask: He gladly gives the best;
Seek: we find His grace for every day;
Knock: doors open wide at His behest.

What better precepts could Jesus give
In “Lessons of Faith” for His flock?
He leads us in what to do and how to live;
No thing too small or great for His Ask, Seek, Knock.

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Friday, January 8, 2010