I Like How You Said That

Series: If I Was CEO of the Church for a Day

I’ve never had a pristine view of the church. I have never been one of those idealists who thought we would one day get out of bed and, like the Essene Jews in Jesus’ day, say “Aha! We have arrived at perfection. We made it! Now the Lord can come!” No. I’m a realist. Even the notion of restoration, as noble as it is, has always struck me as more of a journey than a destination. But, I do believe we are called to mature in our Christian walk. The call to “grow up” in Jesus is sprinkled liberally across the Scriptures. In fact the Word says there is a distinct difference between childhood and adulthood in the Spirit. I’ve often wondered how much blessing would be distributed throughout our faith communities if we could just be spiritual adults in how we speak to one another and carry on dialogue about kingdom matters. The unfortunate truth is we sometimes throw maturation to the curb in our zeal to discern the will of God for a given situation. After 26 years of ministry I have circled the church house block at least twice. As painful as it is to say, I’ve seen my fair share of conversations, letters and meetings that forgot about the presence of the Lord and the fraternity of brotherhood. I’ve seen people chewed up and spit out as less than human because of fear, personality clashes, unbridled arrogance and, as strange as it sounds, all of it in the interest of the kingdom of God. How’s that for irony?

James chapter three is as current today as it was when the ink was drying. The people who first read this brief letter from James were in danger of canabilizing themselves. Fixation on convictions and sacred traditions had evolved into a war of words making congregations battle zones devoid of grace, mercy and the Spirit of the Lord (James 4:1-6). In the interest of seeing their opinions (they would probably say convictions, or perhaps truth) honored they resorted to unethical tactics to get what they wanted. If it meant running over the other guy, group, etceteras…so be it. Winning wasn’t everything. It was the only thing! I've often wondered how the house churches responded when the bearer of the letter got to chapter three. Did they look around? Did they apply it to themselves? (You and I know it’s always the other party that needs to do the self-reflection…right?) Their problem in a nutshell? They had reached rock bottom in their downward spiral. The lived with a smug justification of their disdain for each other and their deteriorating speech ethic. James drops a series of rhetorical questions in 3:9-12:
9With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10From the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.

Grapes vines don’t produce figs and fountains produce one kind of water. But…humans? We can have it both ways!

So, who is wise? James says wisdom is revealed by behavior. Wisdom and righteousness aren’t simply a matter of connecting the right intellectual dots. Its’ more. A lot more. James says,
13Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Am I a wise person? Do I display the gentleness of wisdom in my dealings with other people? The wisdom from above is first…then…and…. Is that how I roll?

I don’t believe we will ever see a time in the kingdom when we will ring the bell of perfection on all fronts. We are human. We are fragile. We are susceptible to seductions of all kinds. But, I do believe we can do a better job of holding a healthy vision of what spiritual adulthood looks like in front of our respective communities, especially where dialogue is concerned. As we move in and out of foyer chats and meetings, or as we feel concern about “where the church is going” or what "those elders are up to now” or as we marshall arguments for a perspective on some issue, it might be helpful for us to consider the following:
• Remember that we are “in Christ”.
• Remember that we are talking with other people who are made in God’s image and who are "in Christ”. They're family!
• Work with the assumption that the other party is doing their best to discover the meaning and intent of the Word on any given subject. Same as you…right?
• Resist the temptation to label people. He/she is your brother/sister. Stick with that one.
• Ask questions that help all concerned toward understanding.
• And, watch your tone and body language. Remember! As apples of gold in settings of silver so is a word rightly spoken.
• And read James 3 before you get there!

Who among us is wise?

Father, you are perfect in wisdom. Your servant James says that we can ask for wisdom and you will give it to us. May we ask for such. And, may we ask for it with right motives so that we may present to you the fruit of righteousness in every conversation we have for your name’s sake. Thank you for the gift of speech and for opportunities to talk with other brothers and sisters about who you are and how we can serve you in the gentleness of wisdom. Amen

Randy Daugherty
Stephenville, Texas