Do you plan on reading this whole article? Yes or no? It’s a simple choice, but that choice finds its roots deep in the preferences of your heart and mind. Since you decided to continue reading, I want to point out that for all of the complex things that our computers are able to do today, it all comes down to O’s or 1’s. The operating speed of the CPU (computer processing unit), which is at the core of your computer, is incredibly fast. But it must follow this binary code in order to operate when carrying out a function. It all boils down to 0’s and 1’s or in human language yes or no.
I was thinking about this when studying James’ incredible statement about truthfulness when he says, above all my brothers… let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no…(James 5:12). As humans we are more than machines. Our choices are not programmed or controlled in a way that takes away our responsibility for the choices we make. That is not to say that there are not influences, (divine, demonic or human), at work in all of our choices. But whatever may be at work influencing our choices, we must still own full responsibility for them, acknowledging God’s grace when we make good choices and acknowledging our own sinfulness when we make bad choices.
James seems to be saying that for the Christian, there must be a fundamental truthfulness operating in our hearts that is grounded in the Gospel truth and in the Lord Jesus who claimed to be the truth. When our preferences in life are grounded in Christ instead of this world, there will be clarity, a transparency, a holy boldness and a freedom to be truthful with our selves, with others and with God. Above all my brothers… let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no…(James 5:12).
