This week’s passage, James’s second-to-last layer of his letter, revisits a topic he initially discussed back in James 1:2-8. A quick read of that passage will remind you that was where James first introduced the subject of suffering and told his readers to remain steadfast in their seeking of God’s wisdom alone. Now, in this passage (James 5:7-12), James continues to encourage his readers to stay steadfast in the face of trials and he provides three examples from Israel’s history before re-emphasizing the need to stay true to God’s wisdom.
Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord.
James 5:7a
As we already know, James’s audience was separated from their home and living away from Jerusalem. Many of them may have even been the same people who asked Jesus when he was going to bring the Kingdom of God to earth. But now, living in seclusion far away from Jerusalem, they were possibly again wondering when that Kingdom would come and when they would be able to return home; but this was not the first time the Jews asked this question. God told the Israelites, in Jeremiah 29:11, a verse many of us know, “I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” The people of Israel were living in exile in Babylon and false prophets had told them they would be rescued and would be able to return to Jerusalem very soon. Contrary, however, to what those false prophets said, God’s plan was that they should remain exiled in Babylon for many years. They learned that God doesn’t always act according to our timing and on our personal behalf; God’s plans require that we have patience.
This was the same patience needed by the people to whom James wrote this letter. And James, instead of addressing the problems surrounding them, chooses to explain that their real troubles come from within and that only the wisdom of God will fix such troubles. Externalities are of no consequence, they need to act on their faith by loving others and being patient as the wisdom of God purifies them. This message is not so different from the one given by the writer of Ecclesiastes in his conclusion to his musings on life. He wrote, “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). Life’s purpose, regardless of any externality, is that we patiently receive the wisdom of the Lord as he transforms us into his perfect and holy children.
See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
James 5:7b-8
But, if we were at all uncertain about what James meant by being patient, he provides an example of patience and farming. I realize most of us go to the store to get strawberries, corn, or watermelon, but they don’t just appear out of nowhere. Living in a city — or even a suburb — we never really see what patience means for a farmer. But venture just a little distance outside of the city limits and you will see fields full of corn and soybean and wheat and every other sort of food you can imagine. But it doesn’t grow in one day; it takes a full season. Sometimes that season is a few months and sometimes longer. And, if for some reason you are waiting for the flower of a bamboo shoot, you might have to wait decades; even a century! Talk about patience! The point is that farming requires patience. But a farmer’s patience is not empty of hope. The farmer places the seed into the ground, waters it, and waits. And waits. And waits. They may not see anything for weeks, but they know the seed will sprout; that’s how it works.
It is in this context that James tells us to establish our hearts. He knows that our hearts are the seeds planted in the soil of life and watered by the wisdom of God from above (Isa. 55:8-11). But he also knows that we must be patient as God’s wisdom produces its harvest of faith and works from our hearts. The Lord is coming, that much is certain. He is coming to reap the harvest that has grown from our hearts and when he does eventually come, he will separate the wheat from the tares (Matt. 13:24-30). But until that time, we must patiently watch the Lord’s work in our hearts.
Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.
James 5:9
While this should go without saying, James still said it. Most of us don’t have the patience required to wait for the coming of the Lord. Our attention wanders and our focus turns to other things. Eventually, we forget why we are waiting and then we become cantankerous with others around us; our patience wears thin.
This reminds me somewhat of my experience going to the doctor’s office. Let’s say I have an appointment at 10, so I take a book in case the doctor is running late. I go in good spirits hopeful I can get in and out quickly. But after reading the first chapter I see that it is 10:30 and I start to get anxious. I look around the waiting room and see the guy sitting next to me laughing at something on his cell phone, the girl in the corner has just sneezed for the umpteenth time, and an old man has just come back from the bathroom with toilet paper stuck to his shoe. I should go back to my book but I can’t stop wondering why that guy can’t stop looking at his phone. That stuff can’t be that funny. And I wish that sickly girl would stop sneezing and that old geezer would remove that stupid piece of toilet paper! Why aren’t there better people in this waiting room? Where is that doctor?
But then I realize they are all taking quick glances in my direction. What I don’t realize is that they are all looking at me wondering why I have no clue that I’m wearing two different colored socks, I forgot to comb my hair, and I have toothpaste on my chin.
It’s so easy to lose focus, then lose patience, then begin to judge others. James already warned us about judging others (James 4:1-12), and now he tells us to be patient. Waiting for the Lord is not easy, but we must remain steadfast, do his work, and deal with our own problems before we start grumbling about the “obvious” problems of the other people in the waiting room.
As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast.
James 5:10-11a
The Old Testament prophets are James’s second example of patience. The prophets might have been crazed-looking guys wearing camel-skins standing at the edge of town yelling “repent,” but they knew what was about to come. Think of Daniel. Think of Isaiah. Think of Zechariah. Think of John. All of these guys prophesied about the future, and they all had one thing in common: they weren’t around to see it happen. The writer of Hebrews puts it this way, “And these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised” (Hebrews 11:39). Unlike the farmer, the prophets never saw the crop poking out of the ground. You’d think they would be discouraged, but they weren’t; the prophets never placed their hope in being able to see the harvest; they placed their hope in the trustworthiness of the Lord.
You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
James 5:11b
James’s third example is a doozy.
Job was devoted to God. He properly established his heart and he even saw a bountiful harvest including a large family and great wealth. But then everything went to pot. But Job, unlike his wife, did not “curse God and die.” Job remained steadfast even though he had no clue as to why everything happened. His friends grumbled at him and accused him of wrong-doing; even still, Job remained steadfast. And, when God finally did show up, Job said “I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:5-6). Job, despite losing everything and never getting an answer to his questions, remained steadfast in his faith.
Contrary to popular opinion, we won’t always understand why God is doing what he is doing, but we will know at least one thing: God’s purpose is compassion and mercy. God never promises to reveal his reasons as to why he puts us through trouble. Isaiah tells us God’s ways are above our ways and his thoughts above our thoughts (Isa 55:8-11). I suspect, when we finally do see the Lord, we won’t want answers; we will be content just being in his presence. Some say that they will ask God for answers when they see him, but I’m pretty sure whatever God might say will be above our pay grade. I mean, how can someone as sinful and mortal as I ever hope to comprehend the mind of the holy and infinite God? This third example tells us that our patience must persevere through trials, not because we hope that the Lord will provide answers to us, but because we hope that that Lord will be there with us through the trials and after they are finished.
But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.
James 5:12
With the words, “But above all…” James indicates he is about to say something connected to what he just said. This may seem obvious, but many years ago I listened to a well-meaning Christian brother who appealed to this verse as a reason why he would not sign a document. Now, maybe that’s what James intended to communicate with this verse, but if so, it seems a bit out of place in the middle of this letter to exiled persecuted believers.
Remember that James has just told his readers to be patient because, as the farmer knows, growth takes time, and as the prophet knows, they must trust in the Lord, not in the hope of seeing the completion of his work, and as Job knows, they must trust in the Lord’s presence, not in the hope they will someday have all their questions answered. Also remember that James wrote about how doubting God’s wisdom and searching for wisdom in other places is like being tossed about by the ocean and makes a person double-minded, unstable in all their ways (James 1:2-8).
It is with these things in mind that I suggest this verse is James’s reminder to his readers that they stay patient and steadfast as they wait for God’s timing. Their lack of patience could result in either a temptation to switch allegiances and search for wisdom in places other than God (James 1:2-8), or turn them into braggarts making grand promises as to how they were going to persevere under trials; their confidence becoming their downfall (James 5:12). But James directs them to take the middle-ground. He is telling them they shouldn’t waver in doubt or make oaths they can’t keep; just say and do what they mean to say and do for the Lord (see Matthew 5:33-37). The patience they exhibit as they trust that God is working out his good and perfect will with compassion and mercy will get them through any persecution.
This would seem like a good place for James to have ended his letter, but he doesn’t. He provides one last layer without which his message to the first-century Jewish believers would be incomplete. But for that layer, we will have to wait until next week.
Patience, Daniel-son. Patience.
