Although some 2,000 years have passed since James penned these words to his fellow Jewish believers, they still ring true for us today. We are guilty of judging others by what we see on the outside and playing favorites—more often than we realize.

How do we make the world take notice and wonder why Christians are different? Well, it’s not about outward religiosity for sure.

We often say (or hear) that we want to know God’s will for our lives.  But how often do we think about doing God’s will? Is knowing the same as doing?

When faced with difficult situations and people, our natural tendency is to react in anger and to grumble. What does James exhort us to do?

Recognising blessings and expressing gratitude is especially vital when we’re in the midst of trial and temptation; in other words, when it’s most difficult.

If sin is so bad, why does God allow us to fall into temptation? Why does He put us into tempting situations, and set us up to fail? Such thoughts, however, could show that we haven’t truly understood the heart and character of God.

James said the man who persists in doing what is right under trial is blessed. How can this be? Often, we regard being blessed as having material prosperity, trouble-free relationships, or healthy bodies. James, on the other hand, sees beyond these earthly benefits.

I want to be godly; but at the same time, I also want to be rich. How then should I view material riches? Would my desire to be materially rich dilute my “godliness”? Is it wrong to want to be rich?

In his introduction, James urges us to rejoice during our trials, because the testing of our faith produces perseverance. But how can we apply this instruction while we are struggling through difficulties in life—when illnesses strike, when we’re facing financial difficulties, or when we’ve lost a loved one?

If you live long enough in this world, you will inevitably go through some kind of suffering. But as Christians, you can take comfort in the fact that it is not pointless.