God’s Sovereignty and Our Plans
Thank you for joining us as we wrap up our reading of the book of James. Today we will reflect on Chapters 3 through 5.
God is sovereign. He has a plan, and His plan will unfold according to His will. The challenge is that we do not fully know the plan or always understand His will. Because of that, we are constantly making plans of our own. One of my favorite jokes captures this well: “If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans.” Whoever first said it understood human nature.
I have always been a dreamer. In first grade, my teachers wondered if I had cognitive damage from being hit by a car at age five because I spent so much time staring out the window. Yet I earned top grades. I did not feel challenged; I was bored. While the lesson continued, I grasped the point quickly and then drifted into daydreams.
I would design things, sketch plans for improved treehouses, or imagine creative projects. That trait appeared early and has followed me throughout my life.
God’s Plan Revealed in Hindsight
Because of that restless creativity, I have worked in nearly every kind of job a person can hold without an advanced degree. These career changes often seemed erratic and illogical. My mother once asked how I planned to do something when I had no experience. Sometimes, my wife still asks that question.
Over time, I have learned something important: God always has a plan, even when we cannot see it.
In my twenties, I went to college and switched my major to education after being inspired by a teacher. I completed some student teaching in a high school algebra class. I loved math and enjoyed helping others understand it.
Years later, after becoming a Christian and joining our current church, I learned they had lost their youth leader. I wasn’t a youth minister, but I volunteered to teach the teens. I quickly realized I was in over my head. Many students, including the pastor’s daughter and the deacons’ children, had grown up in the church, but I was a relatively new believer.
To compensate, I studied intensely. I didn’t want to be exposed as a fraud. God was gracious. They were wonderful kids, and I grew tremendously through that experience.
The Serious Calling of Teachers
James offers a sober warning: “Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly” (James 3:1).
There is a devastating shortage of teachers in both schools and churches across America. We must not discourage anyone from pursuing this calling. But we must understand the weight of it.
When a math teacher makes a mistake, the student may later learn the correct method. When my son was in elementary school, they were teaching “New Math.” It made no sense to him. My wife taught him the traditional way, and although he lost points for not using the approved method, he still got the right answers.
Teaching Scripture is different. When you teach God’s Word, someone’s eternal hope is involved. There are moral absolutes. When Jesus says, “No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6), the Jesus we teach must be the true Christ revealed in Scripture. Therefore, a higher standard applies to teachers.
I am also involved in the music ministry. If I sing a wrong word or play an unpleasant note, the song continues. Teaching does not allow for that margin of error.
The Tongue and the Heart
James reminds us, “We all stumble in many ways” (James 3:2). What comes out of our mouths is not always what we intended.
That is why before I preach, I always pray that God would take control of my tongue and allow only His words to be spoken—not to make me appear wise, but for His glory. I have watched Him change what I planned to say in mid-sentence. That is one reason I love preaching: I see God at work in real time.
But this is also why preaching is dangerous. What lives in my heart is not always as pure as I want it to be. The world sneaks in. Selfish thoughts, ambitions, and distractions take root (James 3:16). Without God’s control, my words can cause harm.
That is why I would never approach the pulpit without prayer. I need His restraint because I know my weakness.
A Call to Discernment and Submission
There are genuine needs for teachers. I encourage you to pray about whether God may call and equip you. It is thrilling work, but it must never be driven by selfish ambition (James 4:3).
James reminds us that our plans must always be submitted to God’s will (James 4:13–15), that patience is required as we wait on God’s timing (James 5:7–8), and that integrity in speech matters—“Let your ‘yes’ be yes” (James 5:12).
As James closes his letter, he leaves us not with condemnation, but with hope: restoration is always possible, and love covers a multitude of sins (James 5:19–20).
Tomorrow, we will read 1 Peter 1-2.