Mercy

James teaches us that when you are saved by Christ, you are not only cleansed of your sin but you also have been given the power to mature in Christ-likeness through a process. In other words, true faith will always produce real fruit. In his pointed and straightforward style, James tells us that this forging of maturity is done through many trials of different kinds (cf. 1:2-4). How we respond to each of these trials exposes our hearts and has the potential to produce endurance and joy (leading to the crown of life) or the potential to sin (that leads to death) (cf. 1:12-14). James systematically goes through the most common trials of life, giving practical instructions on how to view them and what to do and not do. The trial we look at today is the tendency in all of us to view and treat others with partiality rather than mercy.