Life: "a vapor" (James 4:14)

Tonight's reading: James 3,4,5

Key verses from these three chapters:

James 3:13-17, "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy"

James 4:13-15, "Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” "

James 5:8-9, "You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. ... Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!"

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Comment: When I was hospitalized at Craig Hospital in Denver for 11 weeks, this was a verse I regularly contemplated: "life ... is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away". There was a sunny spot that I would park my wheelchair and look out over the Swedish Hospital power plant. I would watch the vapor rise from the power plant stack. As steam soon dissipates, so does life quickly pass. One never knows when this life will end!