James 1. Welcome to James’ letter to the scattered church, the earliest of all the letters in the New Testament. James’ instructions are so practical, so relevant, that I’m going to have a difficult time choosing one topic out of each chapter. In fact, chapter one could easily be a three-part sermon series.

I’m thinking today about godliness – it’s a character trait that is rarely listed on a resume. The word summarizes spiritual maturity, yet it is difficult to define. In extended relationships with other believers, we can usually tell who has made progress in godliness. When I think about someone who is godly, two things come to mind.

Those who are godly usually have reliable wisdom. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him.” (1:5) That’s a straight up promise, not conditional on anything except asking. Ask, and God will give you wisdom. We always could use more wisdom, perspective on what is happening, and guidance as to what we should do next. This is especially true in the context of encountering trials of various kinds and struggling through the testing of your faith (1:2-3). Ask God for wisdom every day, ask Him to open your eyes and help you see, ask Him to give you perspective and guidance. We can ask our godly friends for wisdom too!

Those who are godly are also careful with their words, they are good at putting a bridle on their tongues (1:26). The command is so familiar to us, but so difficult to put into practice. “Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to become angry, for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” (1:19-20) I am both an extrovert and an external processor – so the things going through my mind often come straight out of my mouth. It’s not always pretty. I’ve spent a lifetime trying to learn to be a better listener, and to be slow to speak and slow to become angry. I really admire those godly people who are good at listening and season their words with kindness and gentleness.

Do you have godly friends? What names come to mind? I bet they are wise and show restraint with their words. Surrounding ourselves with godly people is a good thing – they can be such a blessing and a good example for us. Pray that God would give you godly friends and pray that the Holy Spirit would produce this type of godliness in you.

What stood out to you in James 1?