Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you. [James 1:27 (NLT)]
Nowadays, we tend to think of “religion” as the institutionalized system of religious principles, beliefs, ceremonies, and practices to which we’re committed. The religion of which James spoke, however, isn’t limited to things like denomination or synod, liturgy, traditions, rituals, or special observances. Religion, as used by James, is the belief in, service to, and worship of God and encompasses our entire being. The ERV’s translation as “worship,” the NIRV’s as “beliefs and way of life,” the NTE’s and CEB’s of “devotion,” and even the Passion’s translation as “true spirituality” better capture James’ meaning. He is telling us that real religion is our way of life—the way we express our devotion to God hour after hour, day after day, in all that we think, speak, and do.
Rather than setting a formal requirement with his words, James was describing two ways this “pure and genuine” religion is recognizable. The first way we show our faith in and reverence for God is through our beneficence—the qualities of mercy, kindness, generosity, and charity found in our lives. Simply put, it is our unselfish regard for others. An attitude of the heart, it isn’t limited to orphans and widows but applies to any who are marginalized, in distress, overlooked, suffering, wounded, victimized, in crisis, or in need. The second way this “pure and genuine religion” is shown is by personal purity—by our refusal to become soiled or corrupted by the polluted world in which we live.
As a Jew, James was used to a long list of dos and don’ts but he wasn’t giving an all-inclusive list of what a Christ follower’s religion should look like to the world. Instead, he gave us clear examples of what “pure and genuine religion” looks like to God. God expects more from us than just showing up or going through the motions; He expects our love for Him to be evident in all that we do!
Once upon a time, there was a small general store with a clerk named Bill. Instead of helping customers from behind the counter, Bill spent most of the day sitting in a chair by the pot-bellied stove while sipping coffee. When Bill did move, he was slower than molasses and yet the man managed to disappear in an instant whenever a task needed to be done. One day, a customer noticed that Bill’s chair was empty and asked the store’s owner his whereabouts. When told that Bill had passed away, he asked who would fill his vacancy. “No one,” replied the man while adding, “Bill didn’t leave a vacancy!”
Bill didn’t leave a vacancy because, in actuality, while he filled a spot, he never fulfilled his purpose. Bill figured he just had to show up to collect a paycheck. Are we that sort of believer? Does our idea of religion mean all we have to do is show up and fill a pew to collect that eternal paycheck? Or is religion something more? James’ words should cause us to question the kind of “religion” we have while Bill’s story should encourage us to ask ourselves, “What kind of vacancy will I leave?”
The world does not need a definition of religion as much as it needs a demonstration. [Martin Luther]
The church in which I was raised recited a general confession during each service and I sometimes wondered why we bothered to confess. I reasoned that, since God sees everything we do, He already knows what sinners we are and what sins we’ve committed so why bother to tell Him what He already knows? Eventually, I understood that, while God knows what we’ve done wrong, He wants us to know it, too. Until we repent, how can we be redeemed? Until we acknowledge our guilt, how can we be pardoned? We must admit why we need forgiveness before we can accept it.
Every Thursday, my next-door neighbor has a standing two-hour appointment at the beach with a friend who lives about an hour north of here. Although marked on her calendar like a Bible study, committee meeting, doctor’s appointment, or book club, there’s nothing purposeful or especially important about their meeting. As she explained, the two simply meet to “catch up.” Unlike my neighbor, I’m more of a “let’s get down to business” than “let’s chat” type and, when I call or meet with someone, there’s usually a specific purpose for the contact. A few days ago, however, an old friend from our home town called for no reason other than to “catch up.” Neither of us had any important news; we just shared a little of what is going on in our lives. While the conversation accomplished nothing (and took me from my work), it was a much-appreciated blessing.
The best welcome I’ve had at any church was from a man named Luther. Handing us a program, he’d greet us with a broad smile before saying, “Jesus loves you and I do, too!” For several years, Luther greeted everyone who came to that church with his irresistible smile and warm heartfelt words. When age and poor health finally caught up to the nonagenarian, he reluctantly moved away to be closer to family.
Created in 1947 by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, the Doomsday Clock’s purpose is to show the world how close it is to destroying itself with technology. Midnight on the clock indicates world-wide catastrophe and the end of the world as we know it. When it was reset for 2022 last week, the good news is that it’s no closer to midnight than last year. The bad news is that we remain at doom’s doorstep with only 100 seconds until midnight!
When learning to walk, a toddler takes a lot of falls and is likely to get some bumps and bruises along the way. Yet, if we ever want the little guys to walk (let alone run or jump), we need to let them fall once in a while. That’s the only way they’ll ever learn how to how pick themselves up again. Blunders and mistakes are how children learn—they’ll spill milk before they can drink from a cup, scribble outside the lines (and on the table) with their first crayons, have several pairs of wet pants before they’re completely potty-trained, and put their shoes on the wrong feet several times before they know left from right! A few mishaps are all part of growing up.
Devotions of the Heart 