James and Me, Blame

James and Me is a fictional conversation with the Lord's half-brother knitting together various Bible translations. This episode includes James (King James Version), Bill (William Barclay Translation), and Zoe (Life Application Study Bible, New International Version), as I look to be a doer of the Word and not a hearer only through my interactions. 

The Scripture reference for this conversation is James 1:12-14. 

Transcript

James and Me, Blame

Introduction 

It’s great to have you join my fictional conversation today with James, our Lord’s half-brother, Bill (William Barclay Translation), and Zoe (Life Application Study Bible, New International Version) as I look to be a doer of the Word and not a hearer only through my interactions. 

The Scripture reference for this conversation is James 1:12-14.

**

As we gathered back the next day, the room was abuzz with pockets of conversations. I surveyed the room, looking to see who the impromptu lead of each pocket was and trying to discern which I should join to start my day. 

When I noticed Bill speaking with a matter-of-fact humility, I hurriedly stepped in, hoping to share my insight from the shoreline. 

James’ beatitude was still the topic of conversation…I had chosen wisely, as I smiled to myself. 

Bill had translated James’ beatitude like this as he again rehearsed it before the group and brought me up to speed in the conversation. But I never heard anything after the first phrase. 

James had said, “Blessed is the man who endureth temptation…” (James 1:12 KJV). 

Bill interpreted as, 

“Happy is the man who meets trial with the unbreakable spirit….”[1] 

My shoreline revelation of what it meant to be blessed was so rich that I didn’t continue my reflection on the remainder of James’ beatitude, being totally content with my new understanding. As a matter of fact, I had already committed it to memory, 

 “[To be blessed] describes the person who is free from daily cares and worries because his every breath and circumstance is in the hands of His Maker, Who gives him such an assurance.”[2]

Bill’s “unbreakable spirit” added more wealth to my revelation. 

I surmised: As I continue to accept and grow in my “blessedness,” my spirit becomes unbreakable because I am in the hands of my Maker. In that, there is much assurance. 

However, when James returned to share more, I soon learned that my spirit, though unbreakable as Bill shared, would bend almost to the point of snapping…and if it wasn’t for grace…. 

**

As James entered the room, the pocket conversations ceased immediately, and we all looked to find a place to recline and listen. 

I found myself between Bill and a new participant, Zoe, as he introduced himself when I reclined. I had noticed him when surveying the pockets as he dressed a bit more modern than the rest of us and stood with an unassuming posture that rivaled his attire.  

“JP,” I responded with courtesy, but quickly as James we are beginning to speak. I was thankful he didn’t misread my curtness and appreciated his discerning depth of context. My initial impression was that Zoe could add to my understanding. 

James began by reciting the beatitude he had concluded with and then added two universal truths in dealing with temptation—who can’t tempt and who does: 

“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed” (James 1:12-14 KJV). 

The universal truths: 

• God can’t tempt; 
• Man is tempted by his own lust. 

Bill leaned over and shared his translation, which stitched all the truths together for me as I listened in its entirety. 

“Happy is the man who meets trial with the unbreakable spirit, for, after he has come through the ordeal, just as a victorious athlete in the games receives the laurel crown, so he will receive as his prize the life which God has promised to those who love him. If in his ordeal a man is tempted to sin, he must not say: ‘I am being tempted by God.’ God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he ever tempt anyone else. Each man is tempted when he is seduced and enticed by his own desires.”[3]

Again, universal truths, 

• God can’t tempt; 
• Man is tempted by his own lust. 

As I noted the truth, I swiveled my head to the right and caught Zoe’s eye. He read my expression, asking his thoughts on what we just heard. 

I was not disappointed with my initial impression; the first thing he said exceeded any expectation as he took an entirely different view of man being tempted. 

“It is easy to blame others and make excuses for our evil thoughts and wrong actions. We use excuses like (1) it’s the other person’s fault; (2) I couldn’t help it; (3) Everybody’s doing it; (4) It was just a mistake; (5) Nobody’s perfect; (6) The devil made me do it; (7) I was pressured into it; (8) I didn’t know it was wrong; (9) God is tempting me”[4] (as James addressed).

“Blaming keeps us from seeing ourselves,” I responded. And I recalled a quote by a Russian novelist, Nikolai Gogol, I had learned some days earlier as I looked into my mirror: “It is no use to blame the looking glass if your face is awry.”[5]

Zoe continued, 

“A person who makes excuses is trying to shift the blame from himself or herself to something or someone else. A strong believer, on the other hand, accepts responsibility for his or her wrongs, confesses them, and asks God for forgiveness.”[6]

Unknowing my brief but enlightening conversation with Zoe, James gave the life-cycle of temptation, which I will review next time. But for now, I’m taking Zoe’s truth about blame to the mirror, and as I look deeply into it, I hope to see Job’s face and actions in mine, 

“Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. He said, ‘Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.’ Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God” (Job 1:20-22 NASB). 

[1] William Barclay, The New Testament A New Translation, 2 vols. (Great Britain: Collins, 1968). Volume Two, page 197.
[2] https://www.preceptaustin.org/james_112#1:12
[3] Barclay, page 197.
[4] Tyndale House Publishers, ed., Life Application Study Bible, Third edition (Carol Stream, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, 2019). Page 2162.
[5] Nikolai Gogol Quotes. BrainyQuote.com, BrainyMedia Inc, 2024. https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/nikolai_gogol_205568, accessed January 6, 2024.
[6] Tyndale, page 2162.