Introducing Word Poets

One of the most beautiful, yet challenging, books of the New Testament is the Epistle of James.  Written by the brother of Jesus after he became a leader of the early church in Jerusalem, James stressed that an authentic faith is a faith that works; it is not merely verbal, but visible through our attitudes and actions.  James is addressed to Jewish believers who were scattered throughout the Roman Empire who were struggling with spiritual apathy, disunity and materialism.  

Through his letter, James encouraged these believers to obey the truth and to apply a living faith in Christ to attitudes and actions.  He contrasts profession of faith with possession of faith, and argues that a genuine faith is expressed in deeds.  James stressed that while faith alone justifies us before God (Romans 4), it is only by the works of faith that we are justified before others.

In James 1:22, James beautifully illustrates this point by saying "be doers of the word, and not hearers only."  In the original Greek, the word for "doers" is "poietes"...a theatrical term meaning performer or poet.  So James is telling us literally that we should be poets of God's word; that we would live our lives in such outward obedience to God's word, that we would be God's poetry to a watching world.  What a beautiful image!

Beginning today, in the spirit of James 1:22, Love Granbury is starting a new email devotional called "Word Poets".  Word Poets will be a short, weekly scripture passage and devotional thought focusing specifically on how the local Body of Christ can be God's poetry in our community.  Look for it each week!