December 12

Most of us take great pride in something we have built with our hands. It may be an actual building we helped construct, a house, a cement patio in the backyard, or any number of things. It is a great feeling to look at a completed project and know that you had a hand in putting it together. It is also interesting to listen to the excitement and the passion in someone’s voice when they have been instrumental in building up a human life. Helping another human being grasp an important concept in the classroom, or watching a young person you’ve coached perform something they had previously been unable to do gives us much greater satisfaction than even building something with our hands. And perhaps nothing excites us as much as leading someone to Jesus Christ, or participating in a discussion with them that helps them understand a spiritual truth that forever changes their lives.
Few of us think of ourselves as having much effect on other people. But, if we think about moments in our own lives that had a huge impact on us, those moments often involved other people and what they either said or did to us. How many of us have been immensely hurt by the actions or the words of another? How many of us have been positively listed up because of the actions or the words of another? James was right. Out of our mouths come either blessings or curses (3:9&10). We choose whether to build up people who are made in the divine image of God or whether to tear them down. Our actions demonstrate the sincerity of our faith; whether we truly love the people God places in our paths by what we do (1:19&20; 2:1-26), or whether we demonstrate our lack of faith by our apathy towards the needs of people.
James says that if we are smart, we will see that God’s ways of life are the right ways and we will live by His ways (3:13; Romans 12:2). In the process, we will have a huge effect on the lives of everyone we come in contact with (3:17&18). So, do you want to be a part of building people up in Jesus Christ, or will you be one who tears them down? The choice is ours. Choose wisely.