Reading: James 5
PATIENT WAITING
Towards the end of his practical letter,
James encourages us to be patient “until the Lord’s coming” (James 5.7[1]). He doesn’t mean that we should simply resign
ourselves to the uncertainties of life.
There is nothing passive about the patience of the disciple of Christ. James illustrated this by describing a
farmer who has planted seed and is waiting patiently for harvest. The Lord had promised to send “both autumn
and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and oil.”
(Deuteronomy 11.14). The autumn rain
provided the essential moisture for the seed to sprout and the spring rain made
the grain swell before harvest. But
farmers also needed patience as they watched and tended their fields, waiting
for the land to yield its valuable crop before the arid heat of summer.
James used this illustration to provide
the simple but telling exhortation that we, like the farmer, must be patient
and stand firm, because “the Lord’s coming is near” (5.8). We know that “the Lord of the harvest”
(Matthew 9.38) will be true to his promises but this doesn’t mean that we can
simply sit back and wait passively until Christ comes again. James commends watchful patience and
faithful stability.
The context of this exhortation is
significant. James wrote in powerful
terms about rich people who hoarded wealth (5.3), exploited their labourers
(5.4), enjoyed luxury and self-indulgence (5.5) and, worst of all, condemned
and murdered innocent people (5.6). It
seems likely that he was writing about people outside the church who,
nevertheless, had an impact on the believers.
Throughout history men and women have sometimes been perplexed and
frightened by the apparent success of wicked people who intimidate the faithful
but powerless minority. The prophecy of
Habakkuk and Psalm 73 address this problem and both commend faith in God’s
ultimate control and purpose.
In addition to threats from outside,
James identifies dangers within.
Grumbling against one another (5.9) is a particular danger when we are
placed under pressure by difficult circumstances and it is often those closest
to us who suffer most. James regards
grumbling as a dangerous symptom of a lack of patience. Paul addresses the same issue with an
exhortation that we should be “patient, bearing with one another in love”
(Ephesians 4.2). James adds another
dimension by looking beyond the present time to the coming judgement: “Don’t
grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The judge is standing at the door!” It seems likely that James has two aspects
of judgement in mind. First, the
imminence of the day of judgement should encourage us to examine our own
behaviour because grumbling and criticising other believers is not the way of
love. But second, the certainty of
final judgement reminds us of the need to be patient, knowing that in God’s
good time there will be an end to all injustice and suffering.
It is a long time since James wrote this
and today more people than ever scoff at the notion that Christ will come
again. We should not be surprised at
this. Peter predicted that in the last
days some would say “where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our fathers died everything goes
on as it has since the beginning of creation” (2 Peter 3.4). Peter identifies two flaws in this
argument. He points out first, that God
has intervened in history before (3.6) and second, that these scoffers are
viewing history only from a human perspective (3.8-9). Peter is certain that the day of the Lord
will come. So he asks “…what kind of
people ought you to be?” His answer is
that “you ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of
God and speed its coming” (3.11-12).
This is another aspect of patience.
Living holy and godly lives in an unholy and godless society can be
uncomfortable and challenging. Our
standards and expectations may be criticised or ridiculed. Our message is frequently ignored. The need to follow Peter’s advice about
living holy and godly lives has never been greater.
James offers two examples of patience in
the face of suffering. The first
example is the prophets. This might
seem a surprising choice when we think about Jeremiah, for example. He was the victim of plotting, cursing,
persecution, false accusation and ridicule (Jeremiah 11.18-19; 15.10; 17.15-18;
18.18; 20.7-10). His reaction to these
indignities might at first seem to be the opposite of patience. Yet for all this he was open and honest with
God about his inner struggle and did not lose sight of his calling or of the
help which God repeatedly promised. He
was never passive but endured in the knowledge that God was with him and that
justice and righteousness would ultimately prevail.
The second example offered by James is
the “patience” of Job. The word used
here is not the same as in earlier verses and modern translations substitute
“endurance” or “perseverance.”
Nevertheless, at first sight the example of Job also seems
inappropriate. Job complained about his
circumstances, argued his innocence and questioned God’s ways. Yet he never abandoned his faith, even when
he felt crushed and victimised by his friends.
Job endured and persevered until he was ready to open his mind to the
voice of the Lord. His first reaction
was “I am unworthy” and there is nothing more I can say (Job 40.4-5). Yet after the Lord had spoken to him a
second time Job gladly acknowledged that a significant change had taken
place. Previously he had heard of the
Lord but had failed to see Him (42.5).
Now his eyes had been opened.
James gives us a valuable pointer to the
importance of this part of the process.
“You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord
finally brought about. The Lord is full
of compassion and mercy.” (5.11) If Job
had buckled under the pressure of suffering, or if he had not challenged the advice
of his friends, or if he had simply remained silent in the face of divine
power, the process of enlightenment would not have come to fruition. It is notable that the Lord did not answer
the questions Job asked. He addressed
other, deeper, issues which Job had to grasp if he was to begin to see the
light. Through all this, Job persevered
in his search for truth and was blessed by the Lord. One outcome was that he enjoyed greater material prosperity in
the end than he had before everything was taken away. But we should resist the assumption that this was a reward for
endurance. James makes it clear that
the outcome was not a reward but the result of the compassion and mercy of the
Lord. This is why the other outcome is
so important. The Revised English Bible
offers the following translation of Job 42.5: “I knew of you then only by
report, but now I see you with my own eyes.”
Prior to the manifestation of the Lord, Job’s religion was second-hand. Apparently he found this adequate when
things were going well, but when disaster struck his concept of God proved
inadequate. He was unable to make sense
of his place in God’s world. Only when
God spoke directly to him did theory became reality.
We are as much in need of patient
endurance as were Job and the prophets and the brothers and sisters to whom
James addressed his exhortation. The
Lord’s coming is always near for those who long for his coming. The judge is always standing at the
door. Jesus taught that those who
simply wait passively will be taken unawares when he returns. The parable of the ten virgins is a clear
warning of this (Matthew 25.1-13). Yet
“the Lord is full of compassion and mercy.”
He gave reassurance to the Prophets when their faith was challenged by
the suffering they endured. He opened
the eyes of Job who endured in spite of wounding criticism. And He speaks to us through His Son. This is why we are encouraged in the letter
to the Hebrews to “fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our
faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame,
and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that
you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12.2-3).
Brother John Greenwood- Yeovil, England 10.6.07
