We all probably heard something similar growing up: “If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself”. Napoleon Bonaparte is purported to have said what was probably the original:
If you want a thing done well, do it yourself. ― Napoleon Bonaparte
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Because that didn’t work out so well for Napoleon (no matter which version of his death you believe), how about a renowned literary figure?
“Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance and Other Essays
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Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind. ― Ralph Waldo Emerson
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As we step out of the wayback machine, we find that modern society hasn’t helped much. We spend ever increasing time alone in traffic, listening to and identifying with sportscasters who purposefully incite emotion to gain listeners. We get home and watch political talking heads decry right and wrong. They recycle politics, race, and gender issues to purposefully divide and alienate us. Our need still not satisfied, we turn on the computer to read the latest clickbait headlines and then play video games with (and virtually kill) “friends” we’ve never actually met.
By spending more and more time alone to the point of isolation, we make it really easy for the enemy to just beat the crap out of us. The beast feeds the beast within. As we become ever more convinced of our righteousness, our friends fall away, and we convince ourselves of our superiority in principle, knowledge or status. Yet, this is not how we work. Or, at least not how we work best. We humans have always bonded and worked together in times of trouble, crisis, and adversity.
So, what to do? In the Bible, we are promised that God has provided everything we need for life (2 Peter 1). So, how about we start there? In this case, the Book of James will get us through.
The Book of James is both brutally honest and comforting. In James 1, we are reminded that we are tempted by the enemy only when enticed by our own evil desires. But we are also reminded that God will generously provide wisdom to those enduring trials if they only ask for it in genuine faith and belief. We are then admonished to rid ourselves of evil and humbly accept The Word planted in us.
In James 2, James tells us that we should not show favoritism and judgment in any way and that mercy triumphs over judgement. We’re also reminded that we must act on these things and not just speak them.
In James 3, James gets down to it with The Truth that wisdom from Heaven is pure, considerate, merciful, impartial and sincere. All are received as a package and surely good things. We are also told that small things in life can cause big changes if we allow it.
James doesn’t leave much room for our interpretation in James 4, either where James writes that God opposes the proud and friendship with the world is enmity towards God.
In James 5, we learn a lot about how to battle this warfare from the enemy. We are counseled to pray in times of trouble, but also that praying for each other is ‘powerful and effective”. Importantly, we’re also told that if someone wanders from The Truth, we should bring them back (following the example of Jesus in John 6) and that turning a sinner to The Truth covers a multitude of sins.
In the end, fellowship with other believers is a critical part of walking in the light (1 John 1) and in the House of God (Psalm 55). It’s also a big part of walking in the fellowship with the Holy Spirit that binds all believers. With all due respect to Emerson as an author.
Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?
1 Corinthians 3:16 NLT