A few weeks ago, I was enjoying a conversation with a friend about church, leadership, and the difficult time we are in as a church nucleus but also as a country. While discussing Zoom calls, Covid, and everything that has affected us as a church, my friend says, “Left to their own devices, people will do nothing.” I was struck. Not because I could point the finger at others, but because of how true that was for myself. I recognized my own tendencies in that statement and I am sure I am not the only one. As a leader in the church this had me thinking and contemplating my own role and responsibility.
In marriage, friendships, and work (just to name a few) there has to be a give and take. Or as I like to call it, mutual servanthood. Relationships thrive and flourish when this happens (cf. Mark 9:35, 1 Peter 4:10). The body of Christ should not only practice this, but be the standard and model for it. As Christ was for us. The ultimate act of service and sacrifice was displayed on the cross out of love.
However, there is this pull, temptation, or natural desire to be selfish. To put our own needs and desires first or as I have observed recently, to put our own comfort first. Thus, as my friend had mentioned when we are left to our own devices, we do nothing. We stay in bed, watch another episode, get angry at people on social media (maybe that’s just me) but at the end of the day we focus on what suits our own comfort and needs.
In his fourth principle, Dr. Henry Cloud talks about a concept in the psychology world known as locus of control. In short it is, “an individual’s belief system regarding the causes of his or her experiences and the factors to which that person attributes success or failure” (Joelson, R). Locus of control is divided into external and internal. Some people lean into a more internal locus of control while others are more external. Dr. Cloud being the psychologist that he is says people sway into an eternal locus of control when there is some sort of dependency. For example, if my self-fulfillment, security, and happiness depended on Jenn subsequently whenever I felt un-fulfilled, insecure, or unhappy then I would blame her and our relationship. We feel let down and blame external circumstances because in some way we are dependent on them.
When Dr. Henry Cloud talks about doing something it is not a flippant irresponsible act simply to say you did “it”. It is for and with a purpose. The book of James is the best example of this. James was the half brother of Jesus who was one of those who saw the resurrected Christ. However, his epistle has come under scrutiny in church history. Martin Luther actually called to have it removed from the Bible (ouch!). Why? Because some people thought James contradicted Pauls teaching on justification on faith alone.
I want to explore the fourth principle: do something, with James teaching of faith and works. While also seeing why taking responsibility for our actions (or lack there of) actually brings the most joy and fulfillment in our lives.
Listening… And Doing
After James encourages a persecuted church he says something quite striking. “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like” (1:22-24. Italics added). As one could imagine it was very dangerous to be a follower of Jesus during this time. It would have been very easy to just hunker down, pray, and hear a teaching once a week in the comfort of your own home. But James specifically points out, don’t just listen, do.
Before we start thinking James is encouraging legalism let's compare this to Jesus’ teaching. Jesus wraps up the most profound and famous sermon ever, the sermon on the mount, this way.
“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” (Matt. 7:24,25).
Did you catch it? Jesus says anyone who hears his words and puts them into practice. That is the key. He doesn’t say those who hear and believe or those who hear and have faith. It take practice.
The wind and rain will come. That is a guarantee. It is the ones that hear the word and practice it that will not be shaken.
James is writing post-resurrection. Believing in the risen Christ is not a religious sect, it is a complete transformation of ones identity. James is expanding on this idea saying if you don’t hear the word and do what it says you “forget what you look like.” What does this entail? This is about identity. When we read scripture we learn about our true selves because God is revealing to us our true selves. When we pray, we learn about ourselves because we are engaging and encountering the one who formed us and continues to form us. Therefore, when we don’t do anything in response we fail to be who we actually are.
This leads to arguably James most famous words.
“In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder” (James 2:17-19)
To be clear, James never says one becomes saved through their deeds or work. We are saved by grace. We could not and are not saved through anything but God’s unconditional Agape love for us. James is noting that what marks our identities as followers of Jesus, what sets us apart from Rome, Greece, or Western America is hearing the word of God and doing it. Nobody in the world apart from those filled with the Holy Spirit can do this. But if we don’t, then as James says, we completely lose who we are.
The Little Things
One of my favorite rom-com movies is The Wedding Singer. Favorite Sandman movie by far. Towards the end of the movie, Robbie Hart (played by Sandler) and his best friend Sammy (played by Allen Covert) are at a bar and Robbie is making an attempt to move on after losing Julia, saying he will from now on be a free man seeing a different girl every night.
Robbie: “That’s it, man, starting right now, me and you are going to be free and happy the rest of our lives!”
Sammy: “I'm not happy. I'm miserable.”
Robbie: “Wha - what?”
What Robbie was seeing for the first time in his friend was not the fun and excitement of freedom, but the loneliness and isolation. Being free of responsibility, especially the responsibility of a relationship, was not freedom at all. It was a prison of despair.
What the Bible and the “secular” world can agree on is that humans do not thrive in loneliness and isolation. What scripture does teach us though is that real freedom is actually found in sacrifice. We find life in death, being first in being last, comfort in mourning, and community in selfless generosity of time and resources.
How this is accomplished is through discipleship. There are many practices and opinions on how that looks, but Jesus used this approach through twelve men and his last command before ascending to heaven was that we go out and make more disciples.
Discipleship does not happen overnight. It take years. A lifetime. But it must be done in community. Followers of Jesus all taking responsibility for each other. Serving one another. Not people doing whatever they want when they want to, or we’ll end up like Sammie.
We have all been given gifts and we are called to do something with them. What James is communicating is that we use them because of our faith in Christ. Our new identities propel us into a life of service and sacrifice every single day. In every moment of this life we are not to forget what we look like. Who we were made to be and who He is making us to be.
Covid-19 has tested us all in this one. The “normal” things in life were shaken. It was a torrent that rattled every single persons foundation. So in the areas where we were not practicing the Ways of Jesus, we are left picking up the rubble. But we can help each other put in back together. Through discipleship and not only hearing the words, but doing them.
Closing
The challenges the church James was writing to is the same for us. We are selfish. We want to do what we want. At the beginning of this post a mentioned a psychological term called locus of control.
At first it seems like a term one could gloss over and think, “I am more external” or “I am more internal” and move on. My challenge for us however is this. Fight the external. I am not a psychologist and I understand there are multiple facets to this, but on the hole the church cannot blame external circumstances for her “success” and “failure”.
We must always remember that Christ is the Head of the church. Not any pastor or elder, therefore our responsibility is shared and celebrated together. This requires us to do something, together. Not forgetting who we are and what we are called to.
My challenge for us this week is that we each find one person to do something with. Talk, strategize, and execute. A little sacrifice for the betterment of someone else. As small as a phone conversation. That is where discipleship takes place. When the church experiences her freedom in her responsibility.
References
Cloud, Henry. (2004). ‘9 Things You Simply Must Do: To Succeed In Love And Life’. MJF Books.
Coraci, F. (1998). The Wedding Singer. New Line Cinema.
James 1:22-24, 2:17-19; Matthew 7:24,25
Joelson, R. (2017). Locus of Control: How do we determine our successes and failures? Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/moments-matter/201708/locus-control