Are you willing to learn? I imagine James’ heart ached as he penned that question. We all know people who are stubbornly set in their own belief system that isn’t scriptural and therefore is leading them down a road to condemnation. We want so much to change their course, but they won’t listen. Before one can change, one must be willing to learn—to listen, to absorb, to reason. When James wrote these words, he knew that the very essence of his readers’ faith hung in the balance. These people were living self-centered lives that made no impact for God on the world. James wanted them to understand there must be a connection between what we SAY we believe and what we DO. There is nothing more important than a personal relationship with Christ by faith, and that relationship should be obvious to others in how we live.
