Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.
James 4:13-17
The fourth chapter ends with a curious little section, one in which James points us squarely at our priority systems. He starts in verse 13 with a business example pointing to our big plans to do something. Yes, we have these plans and we’re going to do such and such… but in truth, we don’t even know what tomorrow will bring, how can we be so sure about all of those plans?
He makes it quite clear that our lives are short and that the time flies by and what are we doing?
Oh, we’re making plans as though we were in charge of things, but we aren’t really in charge, are we? We mustn’t be so arrogant that we think we are more than we are, we mustn’t be so arrogant that we think that the priorities of this world are really our guiding principles, for we will come to ruin on this path.
Instead, we should recognize that whatever our plans may be, that God is the one who is in control, and that our plans are subject to His will. Yes, His will, not ours. That opens up a can of worms, don’t you think? If our plans are subject to God’s will and our plans are only about making money and a place in this world then how can we think that our plans are anywhere within His will?
Remember Jesus telling His disciples, on three different occasions, that anything they asked for in His name would be granted to them? Do you also recall the context? Each of these times was in the midst of a section that was about doing God’s will, so that anything we ask in Jesus’ name to do God’s will, God will grant. Keeping this in mind , doesn’t it seem like James is really saying the same thing? Before you answer, let’s have a look at the last verse: If we know what good we should be doing, but we don’t do it, that is sin for us. If we know that we are to do His will in our lives and we don’t, what is that?
I have no idea what God’s special plan just for me is. To be perfectly candid with you, I don’t know that He has a special plan just for me; who am I? But I do know what His plan is for all us… don’t you?
We are called to love one another, to share his love with others, to serve Him by serving others in a way that advances His purpose… in short, His will is that we each do our part to make disciples for Jesus Christ. Since we know this is what He wants of us, what does James call it when we know but don’t do?
Life Project Blog 
Morning Don – none of us are immune form any of this. I know I am not – so thank you for the daily reminder so graciously given.
And one question: “I don’t know that He has a special plan just for me; who am I?”
You are of I am. Think that qualifies for special.
🙂
True, very special indeed, but no more so than you or him or her…
I always like how as Christians, we think we’re ‘special.’ What does that mean, really? It normally means set apart and held in higher esteem. But, Don is right. We’re no more higher than the guy next to us. Jesus loves all of us.
Thanks JCS!
“We are called to love one another, to share his love with others, to serve Him by serving others in a way that advances His purpose..”
I’m so glad you brought us to that assessment.
I like to point out that this passage is directed to a specific audience: traffickers in merchandise. It is not directed to those who are serving each other producing necessary things with their own hands.
1 The 4:3-6 (just before the “study to be quiet” passage) tells us God’s will for our lives, giving us 3 perimeters to our freedom in Christ: that we should abstain from fornication, that every one of us should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour, that no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter. That last one is very hard for traffickers to keep – especially, if they’re in debt, or, have perishable merchandise.
I’m not so sure about this being directed to a narrow audience, although I’ve come across that point before. For me, without a clearer indication in the text, I tend to see it in a larger context, one that has application and lessons for us to glean. Interesting thoughts, thanks!
By the way, I define ‘defraud’ as ‘giving others less room to prosper than you want others to give you’.
Reblogged this on Catholic Glasses.
This reminds me of what I have been teaching on Jesus and His Divine schedule. He moved about according to the Will of the Father. We must make sure we are moving in the Divine Will and Schedule of the Father. Thanks.
Great point Pam!
Thanks for this post Don! I know I tend to often get caught up in my own “priorities” and forget that God probably has something much different in mind. Trying to be open to “hearing” what He is telling me is His priority for me. I am definitely a work in progress or as I refer to in regards to my quilts, and in my blog post of Feb 14, a UFO (unfinished object)!
Welcome to the club Elaine
Yes tomorrow our lives might be required of us. Isn’t there a passage with the same cautionary in Matthew I believe. Storing things up and planning for tomorrow and death calling tonight. Wow, that is some piece of msg. vw
It sure is!