This is the 10th of 13 sessions looking at selected passages from the Book of James. Click here to read the introduction and for an overview.
Click here to see the ninth session.
Session 10
Imagine an episode of “American Idol.” Picture the nervous contestant standing before his or her row of judges, and envision that he or she is absolutely butchering the chosen song.
Now imagine one of those famous judges asking what happened and the contestant responding, “That wasn’t me singing.” This, even though the contestant is the only singer in the room. Ridiculous thought, isn’t it?
Yet, it happens all the time; and sometimes the contestant is one of us.
Think of it this way: We have a Judge who watches our every move with love and concern. We step up for our chance to shine and things don’t look or sound as good as we thought they might, we can be quick to shift the blame elsewhere. “It wasn’t my best because…”
The ridiculousness of the scenario doesn’t really have anything to do with how poorly we perform; it’s more about what comes next. The Judge – God – sees all and knows all. He knows when we’re giving something our best and when we’re just trying to make excuses for being unprepared or lazy. He also knows when we’re being honest, though we may still try in vain to hide from Him or to trick Him. He is more than willing to give us a second chance — and a third…and a fourth.
We may try to point a finger elsewhere, grumbling about somebody else’s performance, in an attempt to get the eyes off of us. The truth is, however, that the faster we own up to our flat notes and lack of rhythm, the faster we can be on to something else — perhaps even the long-awaited next round.
The good news is that no matter what happens, the Lord never publicly humiliates us or makes us feel stupid. He is, instead, the Judge with open arms, words of encouragement and faith that we can offer a stunning performance.
What the Word Says:
“Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!” (
How it Applies:
Blaming others in an attempt to get the eyes off of ourselves doesn’t work. We serve a God who sees and knows all. He watches us with love and concern, cheering on our successes.
Questions for Group Discussion:
• Have you ever blamed someone else for your own failing? What were the results of that decision?
• Does it make you nervous to think you will be judged? Why or why not?
• What does taking responsibility for your own actions mean to you?
• Why do you think people try to “hide” from God?
• Have you ever been wrongly accused by someone else? How did it make you feel?
