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James 4:13-17 (NASB 1995)

(Introduction)

Many of us will read those verses and think its purpose is to remind us that life is short and fragile. As a vapor, one moment we’re here and gone the next. Verse 14 is enough to make us stop and think what do we do? If we look at what’s been occurring in our country and world today; Puerto Rico’s devastating earthquakes, catastrophic fires in Australia, even trembling rumors of WWIII, there’s no wonder why anxiety is at an all-time high. Just recently the tragic helicopter crash that resulted in the death of basketball icon Kobe Bryant along with his daughter and seven others has also added to the anxiety and widespread grief throughout the world today. Not to seem unsympathetic, I too admired what Kobe did in the game of basketball and as a father myself I can’t imagine the pain their families are experiencing. Yet since Kobe’s death, social media and television media have been spinning the notion that life is short with the “Mamba Mentality” as the focal point; don’t procrastinate and make today count, work more, hustle harder, time to grind. Folks are saying time left is uncertain so we must hug and make amends with those we’ve had a falling out and be sure to say I love you to those we care about and so forth. While all those things are good to do, we remain in sin and still fall short of what’s most important: humbling ourselves to the will of the Lord.

I. James 4:13-14

There is a saying: Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present. To most this simply means do not dwell on the past (let it be), tomorrow is uncertain, and we have today to make the most of it. Yet most folks spend their today's planning for their tomorrows and therefore neglecting their gift of today. Let us look at what James is saying in verse 13 of this presumptuous behavior and how this is in fact sin.

“13Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” Here James begins to point out the presumptions that they live by, whether they’re done ignorantly or willfully he doesn’t say, but the presumptions are evident, nonetheless.

A. Presumptions of Planning

1. Today or tomorrow- they presume they’re in control of when.

2. We will go- they presume they’re in control of their movements.

3. To such and such a city- they presume they’re in control of their destination.

4. Spend a year there- they presume they’re in control of time or duration of time.

5. Engage in business- they presume they’re in control of what they’ll do once there.

6. Make a profit- they presume they’re in control of how successful they’ll be.

We all have done this to one degree or another and as a business owner I admit I have had my share of presumptuous behaviors. Look at what I have done, look at where my drive has gotten me, look at how much more I need to push myself, again “Mamba Mentality”. This is today’s selfie mentality. We work 50-60 hours a week to for two years straight to expand the business; but first let me take a selfie. If we invest here, we can make “X” amount to go and do this while creating more, to reach that. Look at what we’ve done; but first let me take a selfie. Don’t get me wrong, strategic planning, hard work and a good work ethic isn’t what the sin is here. The bible says in Proverbs 20:4 The sluggard does not plow after the autumn, So he begs during the harvest and has nothing.

The sluggard (lazy) does not work hard nor plan, he does not have what he needs to live. The lazy seem not to understand the law of sowing and reaping, they expect the benefits of labor without having labored. It is when we negate God in our planning, when we fail to seek if His purpose aligns with whatever we desire; we then live as if we don’t need Him for anything or that maybe He should sit this one out. You see, when we have our own agendas and live our lives according to our needs and our wants or working to reach our goals until we’re successful we fall into the self-made “Mamba Mentality”.

B. Presumptions of Life

After James points out their presumptions of planning, he then points out their presumptions of their perspective on life.

14Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.

1. You do not know what your life will be like tomorrow- You’re oblivious to its reality.

2. What is your life?- In the ESV version it reads: (yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.)

They’re acting as if they know what life is. They’re acting as if they can control it, thus showing they do not know who God is. James will elaborate on this in verse 15.

3. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes- They’re ignorant to the frailness of life, a fog, a mist, short lived without a sustainable purpose. They are but a breath and at any moment the one who does control it has the power to prolong it or end it.

We all at one point or another have taken life for granted. We become accustomed to waking up every day and we fail to realize that we don’t wake ourselves up. We don’t decide if we live or not. I remember as a child I prayed a prayer and later learned there were other versions with more to it and felt foolish realizing I had been praying selfishly. Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray to God my soul to take, Amen. It is in the second half where we find the type of humility and outlook the Lord seeks from us.

If I should live for other days, I pray the Lord to guide my ways. Father, unto thee I pray, thou hast guarded me all day; safe I am while in thy sight, safely let me sleep tonight. Bless my friends, the whole world bless; help me to learn helpfulness; keep me every in thy sight; so, to all I say good night.

In this child like prayer, we see the humility in knowing we don’t control if we will live another day, for our lives are not ours. We don’t know if we will be safe, for whatever dangers are ahead of us are unseen. The prayer states “If I should live another day” meaning if we are granted this life for another day, not if I decide to live another day. If we aren’t careful, we’ll rely on 5-hour energy drinks to get us through our busy schedules, while driving 80 MPH without praying for traveling mercies as if somehow, we alone are responsible for the outcomes we set forth before us.

II. James 4:15

We may be wondering how we get what God wants for us and align it with our desires. In verse 15 James instructs and corrects them, transitioning from how they were doing it - to how they should be doing do it. (15Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.”)

A. Providence of God

1. If the Lord wills- If they knew and understood God, they would know that their plans are subject to His will. (10The LORD nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples. 11The counsel of the LORD stands forever, The plans of His heart from generation to generation. Psalm 33:10-11)

2. We will live- If they knew and understood God, they live because of Him, their hearts beat because of Him. They wake up and breathe because of Him. His providence alone is the reason. (16 “But, indeed, for this reason I have allowed you to remain, in order to show you My power and in order to proclaim My name through all the earth. Exodus 9:16)

3. And also do this or that- If they knew and understood God, they’re able to “do this or that” because of Him. They would know and understand that God is in control. Not only our lives are in His hands but the ability to profit, to work, to come, to go, to be successful, to win, to lose. He controls everything in His hands. (5Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things. Ecclesiastes 11:5)

It is with the same ignorance of the unseen formation of a baby being formed, we tend to take things for granted. Such as how the internet works, waves of electrical signals flying to-and-fro and yet we pick up our phones and text, make calls or post on Facebook without thinking twice about where it’s ability truly comes from. When the power goes out and our Wi-Fi router no longer works, that is when we come to realize we are not the source, we don’t hold the power that makes our ability to post selfies on Facebook or do some online shopping.

III. James 4:16

James now makes it clear that the problem is not in the planning, not in the hard work, not in the making profit or being successful, but merely in the attitude underlying the planning

(16But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.)

A. Pride of Life

1. But as it is, you boast in your arrogance.- While boasting in itself isn’t a negative activity as stated in James 1:9. The issues arise when we look at what are they boasting in and what is their attitude towards it. When It consists of self-centered arrogance or the attitude of bragging in their planning of being self-sufficient, leaving God out in their planning is the pride of life.

2. All such boasting is evil- This type of boasting is evil, for it glorifies the self and not God. The bible states Proverbs 8:13 (13“The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverted mouth, I hate.) and in Proverbs 3:5-7 (5Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. 6In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. 7Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil.)

We must realize that James is speaking to Christians, and he’s warning them of this boastful sin. As Christians we are to be sure not to be conformed by the world and begin assuming that we are in control of our lives, its duration and/or its direction. The idea that we can do all things through the “Mamba Mentality” and not through Christ who strengthens us is inconsistent with our Christian worldview in which there is a God whose providence directs the course of our lives.

IV. James 4:17 (Conclusion)

17Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.

James wraps up the teaching with the sin of omission and reminds us that sin isn’t only doing of things but also in the not doing of things. We see an example of this in Proverbs 3:27-28 (27Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them. 28If you can help your neighbor now, don’t say, “Come back tomorrow, and then I’ll help you.”)

When a person is in need and we have the capacity and ability to meet their need, we should then do so. We shouldn’t put off the ability to help another when we were granted with such ability from the Lord and not of our own will. Also, we shouldn’t presume there will be a tomorrow to help that person, as if you are in control your tomorrows. The bible says in Ephesians 2:10 NIV that we were created in Christ Jesus to do good works. As Christians we are not only to receive from God but be His hands and feet. We need to put God back as our main lens so that our focus is on Him first, then He shall determine our steps. The Lord is telling us we need to repent from our selfie mentality and point the camera on those around us; then the world will know that we are His disciples.

This self-centered planning, arrogant self-made mentality is sin. We are not God and we are not in control. We are sinners in need of a savior.

God Bless