James 4:16-17

NIV: As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.  Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.

The Message: As it is, you are full of your grandiose selves. All such vaunting self-importance is evil. In fact, if you know the right thing to do and don't do it, that, for you, is evil.

This is a continuation from the previous verses.  Those verses spoke about boasting about what we are going to do, our plans for the future, and here James is telling us that this is not just wishful thinking (after all, we all have dreams about what we would like to do in the future).  When we plan and scheme without putting God at the forefront of any plans, when we effectively ignore God and do what we want, when we want, then all we are doing is boasting. 

We shouldn't be boasting about anything we have done, or anything we are going to do, because all that we have comes from God and it is to Him we should be giving the glory, not trying to make ourselves look good in front of others. 

I reckon this is something that we all do at sometime or another.  I mean, we all want others to think well of us, we want to look good in the eyes of the world, in the eyes of other Christians too,  We don't want to be thought of as lazy, idle, good for nothing.  We want to be thought of as devout, praiseworthy, honest, good examples of Christian men or women, someone others can look up to or come to for advice and counselling, people who are truly living the Christian life and making full use of all the gifts God has given us.

But when we boast about what we have done, what we are going to do, then we are effectively sinning as we let our pride, our sense of self worth and esteem take over.  Or, as James puts it, all such vaunting self importance is evil. 

Instead, we should be putting God first in our lives doing what He would have us do, allowing the holy Spirit to lead and guide us.  As Christians, we all know this but how often do we actually do this?  How often do we stop to listen to that still small voice inside, the promptings of our spirit when we know we are about to do something that is wrong?  After all, one more drink can't do us any harm; missing church and having a lie in is necessary to make up for all the hard work we did during the week; going out tonight instead of staying in is only what we deserve; making plans for the future is only sensible.....

When we know what we should be doing and don't do it, then we are evil, we are allowing sin full reign on our lives and letting the devil get his way.  He would like nothing better than to keep us away from God, to sidetrack us and get us off the straight and narrow path and he will us every trick in the book (plus all those not even in the book!)  to do so.

It's a case, yet again, of always keeping our hearts and minds focused on God, of putting Him first in our lives and taking the time to spend time with God, to now allow the busyness of life intrude and to really, truly have a personal relationship with God.  Easier said than done when real life is always interfering with family, problems, deadlines and all sorts to worry about....