Expositional Study of James
DEO VOLENTE
Scripture Reading: James 4:13-17 (KJV)
Our Epistle now turns to address a special exhortation to the businessmen among its readers. James heartily believed in mixing religion with every aspect and department of life – he would regard any part of human activity that could not admit religion as something wholly illegitimate for a Christian. A customer went into a store during the lunch hour and suggested some shady trick of accommodation to the young assistant on the specious plea that his boss was gone. But, the tempter was crushed by the firm, but polite, reply by the Christian young man – "Excuse me, but my Boss is always in." How James would have enjoyed that example of mixing religion and business. Or, that delightful pair of testimonies concerning Joseph (Gen. 39:2-3): "The Lord was with Joseph," and "His master saw that the Lord was with him." There was a something about the manner in which the young fellow did his work that forced his employer to recognize God's presence and power with him – religion and business again.
James was too keen a student of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) to have missed that illustration. Of course, there are those who mix the two in such a way that they resort to inconsistent behavior; their loud, and sometimes sanctimonious, professions sickened their employees, alienated their clients, and, worst of all, dishonor their Lord. The whole tenor of this Epistle indicates that its writer would have no shred of sympathy for such.
These whom James addresses, more than likely Jews of the Eastern Dispersion, sojourners in Syria, Arabia, and Mesopotamia, may have included in their number those engaged in the lucrative traffic of ivory, ebony, purple dyes, wines, cedar-wood, gold, pearls, emeralds, agates, silk and embroidery. Hence, in the next chapter, he offers straight words to "rich men" among them (5:1). But first he has something to say to all businessmen – "for whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning" (Rom. 15:4). So, in our passage we are bidden to consider,
A man's diary
It is interesting to observe how he maps out his list of engagements. He chooses his time – "today or tomorrow." But in reality the choice is not his to make. What can he know about tomorrow? He should bear in mind, and take to heart, these lines from Dr. William Harrison:
Time was – thou hast not, cannot recall.
Time will be – is not, may not be at all.
Time is – thou hast it, use it best of all.
We can only reckon on this portion of today, not tomorrow. He selects his spot – "We will go into such a city." Even though many turns of fortune might forbid his journey or prevent his arrival, still, he makes his arrangements and fixes his appointments. When he has exhausted the possibilities of that city, he will doubtless move on to the next. So his route is planned well ahead. We know this because he limits his stay – "continue there a year." The word translated "continue" is used four times in this passage and in three others it is rendered "do" – this business man does not propose merely to "continue" for that year, to stagnate, to let the grass grow under his feet; no, he will busily occupy his time, he will "do" there for a year, and, in all likelihood, he will do very well, since he plans his doings – "buy and sell," never dreaming for a moment that he might be so stricken with illness that he cannot carry on, or that he might find a paucity of merchants ready to trade with him. As to this latter, perhaps we may presume that he is so keen a business man that he would never have chosen that city if he had not been assured that there was plenty for him to "do" there for a whole year.
And so he reckons his profits – "get gain." He has not yet begun; but still he shares what has become the habitual business acumen and optimism of his race. But, is not all this thoroughly commendable? If business is to go on, surely there must be planning ahead, as well as careful and intelligent organization. It is true that James has no intention of blessing an unbusiness-like opportunism, a slack and slovenly way of conducting affairs. That would be contrary to the whole teaching of the New Testament concerning what we call the secular side of life.
The humblest workers are taught, "Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not [merely] unto men" (Col. 3:23); we are not to be "slothful in business" (Rom. 12:11). God is forever a God of order: that is the very first representation of Him we find in Holy Writ, and that is the delightsome impression of Him that we always get after a few minutes with a microscope. He would not approve of disorder in any walk or work of life; He would not inspire James to say one word that would encourage Christians to conduct their business in a haphazard way. It is indeed praiseworthy that they should proceed in the orderly and sensible fashion just described. The trouble, the problem was different from that – the fact is, there was a note that was completely absent from all this planning. This businessman's diary was spoiled, not by an inclusion, but by an omission. Before considering that, let us consider:
A man's day
His present day – "what shall be on the morrow," cannot be predicted with complete accuracy. It really does not do to put off till tomorrow the doing of anything that is deemed important. In this connection, there are two texts that are often linked together. One is Proverbs 3:28, "Say not...tomorrow;" the other is Hebrews 3:7, "The Holy Ghost saith, today." Some of us have natures that make it easy to put things off. However, in the fundamental decisions of life, it is fatal to procrastinate; in so many less important matters, it is at least folly to procrastinate. Browning wrote:
“Would a man 'scape the rod? '"
Rabbi Ben Karshook saith,
“See that he turn to God
The day before his death.”
"Ay could a man inquire
When it shall come!" I say,
The Rabi's eye shoots fire –
"Then let him turn today."
His present day is all that he can be certain of; not even all of today can be reckoned on, and certainly tomorrow cannot be counted, for the Book tells us, "Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth" (Prov. 27:1); so frail is his -
Life's day – "what is your life?" It is so brief a thing – "a vapor," the steam issuing from a kettle's spout, there one moment, gone the next. That is God's picture of its duration. We may say that we have thirty or forty years yet to live. Do we? What a little time; it will soon be gone. But, do we? Perhaps; perhaps not. The finger of Death may unexpectedly touch one of us, and life's day will suddenly be gone. These are times when such things are happening around us. As these words were being written, we received an email from a broken-hearted father, a dear friend, who wrote: "I was building such castles in the air...all for my son to have after I passed away" – his little son, only ten years old, was instantaneously killed in a car wreck. Yes, "it is even a vapor." Maybe not death, but the Second Coming of Christ will certainly end life's day, and that blessed event might be nearer than any of us know or think.
Yet, the transitoriness of man's day is no reason for us to eschew a planned life. An old preacher, whose younger days was filled with engagements to preach the Gospel here, there, and everywhere, was asked what he would do if he knew for certain that the Savior would return in a certain three days' time. He produced his diary, wherein were recorded all his preaching appointments for the rest of that year and, opening it at those specific days, he passed the book to his questioner and said, "That is what I would do." That is, of course, the right attitude – to plan ahead, and go through the plan as far as possible, but to be ready at any moment for the vapor to "vanish away" (v 14). All this is true whatever be the kind of business occupying our day; whatever entries fill our diary. It is common sense: a thing highly esteemed in James' eyes; but there is something missing – note then,
A man's duty
"Ye ought to say, If the Lord will." Ought – duty: words not much in favor today. In older, sturdier times, they were among the unchallengeable springs of behavior. A thing was done not because it had better be done, but because it ought to be done. Note that in our English New Testament, the word "ought" appears over fifty times. It is interesting that according to Matthew Henry a similar phrase was invariably used by the ancient Greeks, in relation to their god in the beginning of every undertaking. The words are to be translated, "with God" – that is, with God's leave or by God's blessing we will do such and such. Whether that rather sweeping "every" is justifiable or not, we do not know. Our only comment just now is that, if a non-Christian worshipper will form the habit of thus relating the events of his life to his deity, then Christians should not be behind in subscribing to so admirable a custom. Certainly, of all people, children of God "ought to say 'If the Lord will...'"
Deo volente
Reference to God's will was absent from the man's diary that was set out in the earlier verses of our passage. But it is a man's duty, certainly a Christian man's duty, to refer everything to God's will, to acknowledge every plan, every hope, as dependent on His will. The omission of this principle is not only foolishness, but also wrong – it is not doing what we know full well to be right and good; and verse 17 says, "it is sin." Across all the pages and entries of our diary of proposed engagement must, in duty bound, be written "Deo volente,” i.e., D.V., God willing. James is not the only one who impresses this duty; Paul also, not so much by his exhortation as by his example, teaches us the same lesson. We think of his purpose to return again to Ephesus, "if God will" (Acts 18:21); and we remember his avowed intention to visit Corinth, "if the Lord will" (1 Cor. 4:19). So we are to fill up our diary on the supposition that, God willing, "we shall live," as verse 15 directs; and we are to plan our day on the assumption that, God willing, we shall "do this, or that." All vainglorious "boastings" of our future are ruled out as "evil" (v 16). Recall that eminently successful businessman whom our Lord called a "fool," and whose folly lay in the fact that all his planning was made without reference to God (Luke 12:16f).
Deference to God's will is the next step to be taken. It is not treated, except implicitly, in our passage; but it so naturally follows on what we have already considered, that we should feel our study incomplete if we do not, however briefly, refer to it. It is our duty not only to acknowledge that there is a Will of God for our lives, but also to accept and acquiesce in that Will. How movingly we find our Lord deferring to the Father's Will in Gethsemane, "Not my will, but Thine, be done" (Luke 22:42). We have found the ultimate key to all peace when, by His grace, we have learned to make His will our will. Thus, when we say, as we ought, "If the Lord will," it is not only a reference, but a deference, to that Will. One further step remains:
Preference for God's will – which means that we accept it, not only because we have to, but also because we love to. Too long and too often we have thought of God's will as something to be suffered – to be endured, instead of embraced. But all who truly surrender themselves wholly to it soon "prove" for themselves, as Romans 12:1 says, how "good and acceptable and perfect" it is. Whatever be the circumstances that enter and control our lives, if we are Christians they come within that limit of what "the Lord wills" – and His will for us is His best for us. We have rather gotten away from our businessman; but these things are as true for business life – His will, either "this or that" – whether "gain" or loss. Home life, social life, business life, spiritual life, personal life – these words seem to fit:
Thy wonderful grand will, my God
With triumph now I make it mine;
And faith shall cry a joyous Yes!
To every dear command of Thine!
So, in all our planning, hoping, and doings, we ought to say: God willing. The plain truth is that things will only happen, God willing; and the real joy comes when we want them only to happen, Deo volente, D.V. – God willing.
