Are People Bugging You?
Adulterous People – Part 1

Scripture Reading: James 4:1-6

Key Verse: James 4:4

You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

God watches us at all times, in all places. He is especially attentive to our actions toward people. God knows it is easy for us to treat people whom we get along with well in a loving and kind way. The big question is how we will treat people who bug us.

The Apostle John wrote, “For anyone who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen…Whoever loves God must also love his brother” (1 John 4:20-21). When it comes to people—all people—we must not act like the world, loving the lovable and ignoring or mistreating the unlovable. James says that if we act this way, it is “friendship with the world,” which is adulterous in our relationship with God (vs. 4).

To be “friends with the world” is another way of saying you like how the world lives. As Christ followers, we are to be friends with God, liking His ways. When it comes to dealing with people that bug you, we must choose who to lose, the world or God. We can’t have both! If we chose God’s way, we determine to treat all people with equal kindness. We do this not because they deserve it, but because we want to be friends with God. God loves all people and that must be our goal. (Continued)

Father, when people bug me, grant me your patience and love to act in loving ways, with loving words. In Jesus’ name, amen.