Saturday in the Word | Life is a Vapor

The book of James is often referred to as the wisdom book of the New Testament. Like Proverbs, James, brother of Jesus, offers sage counsel regarding how we should live as image bearers of Christ.

James issued a warning to his readers: Life is a transitory vapor and all of life must be planned with reference to God’s will. [Holman Concise Bible Commentary]

It’s not “What does Rainer want to do with his life?” but, “What should Rainer do with his life in accordance with God’s will?” And failure to do what I know is right—in accordance with God’s will—is sin. The same is true for you.

We cannot ignore God and call ourselves Christians (little Christs).

If we are to be His image bearers then we must live in alignment with God’s will. In other words, as believers, we submit to His authority over our lives.

¹³ Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— ¹⁴ 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. ¹⁵ Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” ¹⁶ As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. ¹⁷ So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

James 4:13–17, ESV

Life ticks off time quickly. There are no redos. Once you’ve spent a moment it’s gone. You can’t reclaim it. It is what it is. You can course correct, however, through forgiveness, acceptance, and a healthy dose of humility and gratitude. These are key ingredients in a recipe of Christ-like living. As is love. Yep, that’s right. Love first. Then see how it plays out. In love, we abide in Him who abides in us. We are never closer to Him than when we love others as ourselves. That transitioning cashier at your local grocery store with a fuzzy beard and blossoming boobs looks different when seen through the lens of love. You can say “Hello Kit. How is your day?” and mean it. With every exchange and interaction you can create the change you want to see happen in this world.

Life moves fast. Do you want to live it in hate or would you rather be known for love? The legacy you leave behind is your choice. What does God call us to do? Do what’s right and you won’t go wrong.

Love costs nothing yet profits everyone.

We are but vapors, my friend. A mist that appears for a moment and then vanishes. Live well and choose wisely.

Thanks for reading, my friend. Until my next post…

Be salty, stay lit.

Rainer Bantau —The Devotional Guy™

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Reference:

Lea, T. D. (1998). The General Letters. In D. S. Dockery (Ed.), Holman Concise Bible Commentary (p. 631). Broadman & Holman Publishers.