True Religion: A Wednesday Series Part 8

As a youngster I used to wonder when a person is assigned a title. When friends came to school dressed in their Little League uniforms, I was envious. They are baseball players.

During the preparation for years of Christmas programs friends would decline invitations to “hang out” because they had rehearsals to attend. Many of my friends played instruments or sang. Clearly they are musicians.

Other friends were also busy during specific times during the year. They excitedly were memorizing lines, rehearsing for a play, and dressing in elaborate costumes. These friends are thespians.

For a special group of friends there were no uniforms. But, quietly they amazingly discovered and transformed life for the rest of us. They were the chess players, math wizards, and academic honor winners. From this special group of friends emerged some of our countries top scientists.

While I dabbled a little in all of these fields, I never donned the moniker of any one of them. But, I have admired them all at one time or another. The application of a title on someone because what they do is special.

One title that I do wear and work hard at honoring is “Christian.” I want to be known as a follower of Christ. But, even more important to me is to be an asset to His name.

But, wanting a title is not a matter of self-proclamation. We must fulfill the criteria. If standards are required, then, those have to be met.

James describes Christianity as “true religion.” He identifies three standards. One is that those who practice true religion keep a tight control over what they say. Words that do harm is not true religion.

Second, James says true religion cares for the widows and orphans. Women who are without their husbands and children without their fathers deserve help. Practical care for the needy is honoring to the Lord.

Third, while Christians must live in the world, they intentionally are not of the world. Instead, there is discernment that marks them. We properly display the name of Christ when we live lives that match God's righteousness.

Christians should live an active faith. We should express true religion by controlling our tongues, caring for the widows and orphans, and living lives unpolluted by the world. This triple threat of true religion is how to have an eternal impact on this world for the Lord.