In James 4, the message centers on pride, humility, and friendship with god. Explore James 4 and discover how pride, selfish desire, humility, repentance, and surrender shape our friendship with God and one another. Rather than treating the passage as abstract theology, the sermon traces what these truths reveal about God, the gospel, and the way followers of Jesus are called to live.
The sermon follows the biblical text into practical discipleship, connecting doctrine with identity, character, and daily obedience. It challenges listeners to examine the assumptions shaping their lives and to allow the truth of Scripture to renew the way they think and respond. The emphasis is not merely on understanding the passage, but on becoming the kind of people whose lives are formed by it.
Along the way, the message engages themes including James 4, pride, humility, and friendship with god. These ideas help place the primary passage within the larger story of Scripture and show how its theology speaks to real spiritual formation. At its heart, the sermon helps answer questions such as: What does James 4 teach about pride, humility, and friendship with god? It also considers how should pride, humility, and friendship with god shape the way Christians live?
For someone studying this passage, exploring the Christian faith, or looking for practical biblical teaching, this sermon offers a clear path from the text to everyday discipleship. The invitation is to hear what Scripture says, receive it with humility, and take the next faithful step in following Jesus.
What does James 4 teach about pride, humility, and friendship with god? | How should pride, humility, and friendship with god shape the way Christians live? | How can believers apply James 4 in everyday life?
James 4, pride, humility, and friendship with God, james 4 pride, selfish desire, friendship with God
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I really feel like this section of James um starting in verse 13 to the end really frames up James 4. So we're going to hit all of James 4 today um but I want you to to see it within the context of the the back end of James chapter 3. We're talking about wisdom. Last week we talked about the power of the tongue. The big takeaway was the tongue cannot be tamed but it can be trained. um what you put into your heart comes out. If you're only focused on controlling uh yourself from saying negative words, complaining, or tearing down others, we miss out on all the good that the tongue can do. Do you guys remember those of you that were here? I pulled out that cow tongue. It was really gross. Um it I I I I didn't realize how cold it was going to be. Um yeah, being in the fridge. It was great. Um but as Christians, we should be using our tongues to speak life. That should be the priority, right? We shouldn't be in this place where like, "Oh, I can't I can't say the thing because it's negative or it's bad and I'm I'm playing tongue police on myself." Um, we're called to speak life. We're called to speak love, kindness, building each other up, prophesying, and testifying of God's goodness. Amen. Like, I I'm trying to teach my kids this right now. Um, we just had an amazing trip to Disney. Thanks for asking. It was awesome. Um, it was it was great. But I'm trying to teach my kids this. Don't just speak about what you're against. Share about what you're for. >> Amen. >> Right. >> I think I mean, write that down. That's a word for you right now. Because I feel like every time I'm trying to pick out a restaurant, I'll name like 20 different restaurants and like now no. And I'm like, be about something. Sorry. This is this is my frustration. We're talking to the ladies right now. Really? Like, let's let's be real. All right. All right. Love you guys so much. Um, but really too much of the church is known for this, too. where we're where we're we're known by what we hate, >> right? >> Or or what we don't like or what behaviors we don't like or just being known for negative or trying to control people, right? But what are we about as a church? Like, are are we really about living worthy of the gospel or are we known for what we're against? like there there's there's several churches here in this area and if and if this church isn't for you, I'll help you get to whatever church God is calling you to. I'm I'm I'm here for it. But there's many churches in in this area that are more known for what they're against than what they're for. >> And I don't want to be that church. >> I don't want to be that people. I want us to be known for what we're for. And this is really a great setup for the rest of James 3 and James 4. James 3:13. If you have your Bibles, verse 13, who is wise and understanding among you. We're talking about wisdom today. James is saying there is value to wisdom. And it'll begin and we'll begin to actually define what godly wisdom is. Who wants godly wisdom here in the church? Anybody? Come on. And this, just so you know, godly wisdom is not your life experience, >> right? >> Godly wisdom is not your intellect or your knowledge or your your theological background. It's God's wisdom. >> It comes from heaven alone. And and in Hebrew, the word wise is chakma. Everyone say chakma. >> It's so much fun to say. Chakma. It means a unique skill for living. I kind of like that definition, right? It's a unique skill for living. It it really focuses on the fact that this is something that you can't just develop on your own. It's it's it's something that you receive. It's beyond developing the skills. It's God-given wisdom. And and I love this in Proverbs 4:7-9. It says, "Wisdom is supreme." So, acquire wisdom. And whatever you acquire, acquire understanding. See, see, wisdom, this kind of wisdom is understanding. Like, we can't really separate wisdom and and understanding. It's understanding why one person is reacting one way to a situation and somebody else is reacting completely different. Like you could be you can be dealing with with all the chaos within your home or in your workplace and you've got everybody coming at it with different angles and wisdom, godly wisdom is being able to understand why is it that you're reacting this way? Why is it that this person's responding this way? Because there's a reason behind that. And God gives us this wisdom to be able to navigate in our lives. And that's what we're going to be talking about today. The the back the second half of James 3:13, it says, "Let them show it, showing wisdom by their good life by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom." So someone who has wisdom, they have a good life. And they're even using the bad circumstances, the economy, the wars, the trials, the sickness, whatever difficult uh difficulty that you're facing. We use this to show good deeds. >> We use this to show that God is still on the throne. He is still in control and I'm still trusting and putting my faith in him. Amen. >> Amen. >> And we do this in humility. And it comes from wisdom. Because again, Christianity isn't about you becoming a new and improved you. like that this isn't like a 12step plan for you to you know become just just awesome like you know or you improved your life because you worked really really hard or you tried a bunch of stuff within the church you read some Bible verses uh you prayed some prayers you showed up at church you know so you check that off your list of all the things you're doing that's not what Christianity is all about Christianity is a transformed life will do a work in you where you won't even recognize yourself anymore morning. >> Isn't that good? >> Like we I could just sit here all day and just just bask in the awe and wonder of God that he has made me new, >> that he has changed my life. Like when I look in the mirror, I don't recognize myself anymore >> because I'm seeing with God's eyes. I'm seeing who he's created me. I see his image within myself because I've been created in his image. >> This is so good. He doesn't just put a set of rules on your life for you to follow and live in fear of doing wrong. If any man be in Christ, you're a new creature. I I tease my wife all the time. Um usually on like date nights because I'm trying to be extra flirty. We'll walk by the mirror and I'll be like, "Whoa, stop. Who are those good-looking people?" You know, like that. That's kind of the the attitude. Again, I'm being super flirty. You can try that. You know, just just do that with your with your spouse or or significant other. We look good. You know what's what is different about us? Of course, she rolls her eyes and laughs, but but really, this should be our heart that every time we get into his presence, we begin to walk in gratitude of God, you've changed me. I'm not the same person that I used to be. And today, we're going to we're going to give you wisdom. I want to give you wisdom for your life. I want to make space. I want you to make space right now in your mind, in your heart for God to transform you. that when you leave this place, you're going to look in the mirror and be like, whoa. Amen. >> So, Father, would you would you move today? As we make space for you as we take back territory in our hearts and our minds, help us to become more like you, Jesus, in Jesus name. Amen. So again, we hit James 13, wise and understanding. And then we hit to get to James 4:14 says, 'But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Basically saying, don't think that you know the right way to do everything or the right way to handle life. We can we can say like I oh I know the word. I know the answers. I know all these things based on my experience. But James is saying in verse 15, he says, "Such wisdom does not come down from heaven, but it's earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and every evil practice." Could it be today that wisdom for your life is on the other side of humility? that when we humble ourselves, when we lay down what I think I know about this situation, about my life, about my marriage, about my job, about the these people around me, politics, you name it. I may think I know all the things, but if I lay it down and begin to open up my heart to God speaking, he gives us wisdom. Because my way, the world's way is full of disorder, division, disillusion like like I know myself and I am selfish. There's ambition in my heart, manipulation, it comes out of my flesh. But then in verse 17, it says, "But the wisdom that comes from heaven," this is a key verse, "is first of all pure. than peaceloving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy, and good fruit, impartial, and sincere. This is really, if you're going to underline any verse within your Bible, this is the one to underline because this is going to be just the context, the frame of everything that we're going to be looking at today. It sets the stage. And write this down. My first point, the wise have a pure heart. Do we have a heart that we've allowed God to purify? Purification does not mean perfection. Purity is it's an attitude that says, "God, I don't like being this way and I want what you want and I want to be like you." And it's it's really why the the psalmist David said, "Create in me a clean heart, oh God." having this attitude of I have not arrived. I I may know the word of God, but scripture tells us that fools think they are wise. Wise walk in the understanding that they need to listen to God. >> Proverbs 12:15, the way of the fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice. And again, this really comes down to the heart. And it's really what we've been talking about the last few weeks in James. It's all about it all comes back to the heart. Where's your heart? Is there purity within your heart? If your heart is not humble and pure in that place of God, you know what's best. I'm not always right. If it's not in that in that way, it really sets the course for my words and for my actions. I said this a couple weeks ago, faith alone saves us, right? We know this in scripture, but faith is never alone. out of it flows words and actions that align with my heart and my faith. And so purity of heart is is the key here. And it's so cool because Paul says this to Titus in Titus 1:15-16. To the pure, all things are pure. But to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. They claim to know God, but their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for doing anything good. I love how blunt Paul is. [laughter] There's many who claim to know God, but their actions show their heart. When God touches your life, he purifies your heart. And let me just say, this isn't just a one-time thing where God touches your life. It's daily surrender. I I love that Hannah Hannah was up here preaching during worship. I was just like, "Take the mic, girl. Let's go. I don't need to say nothing." Because how many times have we we've laid things we've gone into his presence and we've laid things at his feet and then we get up and we pick it up and we walk out. But every time we come into his presence, it's an opportunity for us to become more pure to allow him to to turn us into a person that has a love for good, a heart to obey God. First John 5 2-3, it says, "This is how we know that we love the children of God, by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God to keep his commands. and his commands are not burdensome. I love this. When I continually commit my life to God daily, I'm repenting of my sins. I'm humbling myself before God. I'm loving him and and I'm obedient to him. This verse is saying that his commands are not going to feel like religious law because it's just coming out of my heart. It's flowing out of me because of my continual surrender again and again. The more I behold God, the more I love him and spend time with him in worship and prayer and his presence, letting him know that I need him and that I'm lost without him, my heart becomes pure again and again. And following him feels less like a test of faith or a burden. This is why this is my favorite Bible verse. Matthew 5'8 says, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." It's my favorite because it's a promise. If you want to see God, purify yourself. If you want if you really want to see him, if you really want to hear his voice, purify your heart, repent. Purity, it means without contamination. It doesn't have any other elements in it. Have you ever like drank water and you you go It's like kind of a gross noise, but you just taste something that's a little off in the water, right? You didn't change the brida filter, you know, or or that you you drank out of the tap and you didn't realize you were drinking tap water or, you know, Aquafina versus Dani, you know, that there's this one's got more chlorine than the other. You know, you're drinking something. You're not sure what it is, but you can taste that something is off, right? Y'all need to talk to me a little bit more today. Can you be a little be a little Pentecostal? Come on. the flavor's off. Might be time to change the filter. Something is mixed into the water making it taste off. This is the opposite of purity. And James is is talking about it. And and when we jump over to James 4, it says, "What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? Impure heart. You desire, but you do not have, so you kill. You covet, but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight." selfish, ambitious. You do not have because you do not ask God. And when you ask, you do not receive because you ask with wrong motives. >> That you may spend what you get on your pleasures. This is the verse that's going to smack somebody, including myself. You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Talk about drawing a line in the sand. It's very strong language. Adulteress. An adulterer is someone who's married but has a little side piece going on. I almost said side chick, but I didn't want to leave out the ladies in the room. You're married, but you're sleeping with somebody else who you're not married to. We love God, but we got a little something something going on the side. I'm not trying to downplay or minimize this. But can you imagine like getting married and your spouse lets you know on your wedding day, by the way, I'm still going to date other people. >> What kind of marriage is that? Is is that is that pure? >> Is there is there is there really is there purity in this? Maybe maybe we feel like we're not getting enough out of this relationship. And so we'll justify going and engaging with other people, other behaviors, other lifestyles because we're really just not getting enough out of our relationship with God. If we're going to handle the trials that we're experiencing, are we unwise in allowing some impure things into our life? Like, should I be watching this? Should I be listening to this? Should I be consuming this? And guess what? You don't need me to tell you >> what's pure and impure. You have the Holy Spirit >> and he is happy to let you know. He is happy to convict you. He is hap with kindness to lead you to repentance. >> I'm not going to do it. But many of us have gotten so used to drinking dirty water, we're unfazed by it. It doesn't bother you when it should. Maybe you've become desensitized to something that the world calls fun. Right? >> It's only when we taste the purity of God that we realize, I'm drinking in pure water. And this is why we continue to come to him and be in his presence to drink of his living water. Like I like like a fun a fun story. Have you ever like tasted something that maybe you yourself have cooked, but you go to like a restaurant and you try it there and you go, "Wow, this is what it's supposed to taste like." Right? Like my wife got my wife is really really wise, really smart. She got me the Gordon Ramsay's cooking master class um a few years ago. Very wise. She knew that if I learned from a master that I would cook more and she could sit on the couch. Um so good. But I but yeah, it's Britney. Yeah, she's great. She's not in the room today, so I can talk smack. Um I can remember saying like like like while watching this and and and Gordon Ramsay, love him or hate him, the master class, he's not like cussing people out the whole time. Um, it's very it's very very well well done. But the whole time I'm reading this or watching this, I'm like, oh wow, that's how it's supposed to be done. Like, oh wow, that's how it's supposed to look. Like, oh, like every 5 minutes I my wife was like, what are you wowing about? Like, this is awesome. Like, this is amazing. I'm learning from the master right now. And and it's just blowing my mind. The closer that I got to the master, the more I realized I had something to learn. Wow. >> The more I realize there's a better way to do this than my own way. >> James 4 5-8 says, "Or do you think scripture says without reason that he God is jealously longs for the spirit that he has caused to dwell within us?" Remember, we are a dwelling place for the presence of God. And the scripture is saying that he is jealous for us. But he gives us more grace. That is why scripture says God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble. I love this. It says, "Submit yourselves then to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners. Purify your hearts, you double-minded." God is jealous. And when we live an adulterous life within the spirit, what we allow to dwell within our hearts in this way, we're we're really doubleminded in our faith and it grieves him. Ask yourself this question. How much of the world should I allow into my life? And allow God to purify you. Let the Holy Spirit give you wisdom. And this is where it gets really practical and fun. I think it's fun. Write this down. Number two, the wise love peace. Not contention, not division, not arguing. Like sometimes people argue just so they can feel right or smart or wise. I remember my freshman year of high school, um, my parents had me go into a private school. Um, I got a sports scholarship to go. I only went for one year because I wasn't that good at sports. Um, but I joined the debate team mostly because there was a really cute girl on the debate team. Um, and I I hated it. I absolutely hated being on the debate team. Uh, everyone was so annoying. Um, because they were just constantly arguing just to argue, which it's in the name. It's debate team. Like, I get that now, but like in the moment I'm like, why are you all just constantly playing devil's advocate about everything? Like, no. murder is bad. Like like like let's stop debating about it, you know? But they were just sharing stances really not to create peace or solutions, but really to make the person they were debating feel like an absolute idiot for their point of view. And then again, this has gotten into the church just as much as the world where we're not even talking about actual issues. A lot of the time we we we can say, "Oh, just agree to disagree." But what ends up happening majority of the time is we go after their character. We go after who they are. It's character assassination. And and what does that produce? It's attacking. It's animosity, apathy, anger. And if we go back to James 1:20, I love this. Human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. And so, write this down. You can't be wise and love to argue. Wisdom from heaven loves peace. Proverbs 14:29, "Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly." Proverbs 29:11 says, "Fools give vent, full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end." Like how many times have you been in a fight or you're commenting online with some nameless YouTuber, you're arguing with with your spouse or co-workers and things are escalating and then it's no longer about the issue. Now it's exchanging blows. We went from disagreeing to now I'm attacking this person when we we're like you don't just have the wrong opinion, you are wrong as a person. You ever been in that state? That's how the majority of my fights go with my wife. It's It's really healthy. We're trying to get better. That's supposed to be a joke, guys. Please laugh. Please laugh. I'm kidding. We can get spiritually high and mighty in those moments, too, right? We we can we can try to correct someone saying, you know, you're prideful. You're arrogant to your core. You need Jesus. Anyone ever pull the the God card in the middle of a conversation? Like, it's No. No. Never. Not your wife. No. Absolutely not. You need Jesus because clearly you're of the devil in this conversation. This isn't even a conversation anymore. It was civil, but now the devil is in the room. You say you love Jesus, but you are not acting like him right now. I know I'm just talking about my marriage and and my relationships, but we have to ask ourselves, is that really sewing peace? >> No. >> Is that sewing peace? instead of attacking the person, maybe recognize that I am part of the problem. >> Like there's a common denominator here and I am one of them. I I I'm the one that I can control in this conversation. >> I'm the one that's not creating peace. Maybe I need wisdom and how to handle this fight or conversation. This this I love this verse. It's the the end of James 3. It says, "Peacemakers who sew in peace reap a harvest of righteousness." There's going to be conflict in your life. Scripture tells us this. And it's not always possible to resolve the conflict on our own. We need to go, God, if they won't change, change me. >> So good. If they won't change, God, would you change me? Would you make me more like you? Because again, I am the only common denominator that I can change. >> Conflict cannot continue without my participation. >> That doesn't mean I'm going to be a doormat. That doesn't mean I'm going to lay down, but it should change how I approach the situation. >> Look at this. The wise are considerate. I'm going to I'm going to ruffle some feathers today because God's been showing me so much in this passage and it's so good and if you don't like it, I don't care because this is the word of God. They consider other people. It says it says it in in in scripture they they are considerate. They don't think that they know why someone is acting the way they are. They attempt to understand. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> They consider AGAIN WHO IS WISE and understanding among you. You cannot separate wisdom from understanding. Understanding it's an attitude that says I've never thought about it that way or I can understand why you feel this way based on how you're informing me about your feelings or your opinions. That might sound very complicated, but if we would actually take time to listen to people versus trying to correct them, we would understand why they've chosen to walk in the sin that they're engaging in. This is this is empathy. And empathy has kind of gotten a bad rap these days, but it's it's a powerful way to be Jesus to people. Like we we say this often. I got it up on the screen. People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. >> Right. But I've got a better way to say it. Ready? People don't care about the truth until you're willing to understand their truth. I just triggered somebody in the room. Are you talking about my truth? Are you talking about your truth? Like let let's be based in reality today, guys. Like let's facts don't care about your feelings, okay? Like just Ben Shapiro mic drop it right there. Right. We can argue about the truth but the truth does not matter to most people >> if we if it can't be understanding of their truth. >> Now I want to give a great example of this because it's this is this is powerful. When we can choose to sit in a in a place of wisdom and understanding, we actually have more power and ability to lead people to the cross. So, I didn't bring a picture to prove that this is true, but if you want to see it later, I'll show it to you. But years ago, I was heavily involved in a LAR event in Canada. LAR stands for liveaction roleplay. And yes, I dressed up as a Viking, and it was awesome. Okay. It it it was a city with like 2,000 3,000 people. They had medieval buildings everywhere. And there were all kinds of people dressed up, you know, in medieval garb and fantasy outfits and all this stuff. Everybody had a different name. My name was Canon. Yeah, it was awesome because of the camera. It was spelled with one N, not two. Um, very particular about my name because it was my alternate ego. It was great. Um, but it was like a giant camping trip for nerds and it was amazing. Um, but here's what's wild. So, you got all these people coming and they're pretending to be somebody else, right? Which really opened things up for the fact that majority of these people were dealing with identity issues. >> And about a third of the people, there was about a hundred of us that that were came up from from the States and we were all camping in the same spot. We're all we're all connected through this organization. And about a third of these these people were transgenders and homosexuals. Every night, well, every day, we'd go out and fight, you know, thousands of people on a battlefield with forts and foam weapons, and it was really fun. I had so much fun. And then at night, everybody would just get plastered, just absolutely wasted partying, getting high. They'd go around. There were witches and warlocks and and soothsayers and all these different people with tarot cards and like it was a really, really dark deal. I didn't realize it was going to be this dark until I showed up. Um, but it was it was wild. And uh I I realized that if I had conversations with people and I led with Jesus, I would shut the conversation down. >> Yeah. >> Anytime I I I I said that I was a Christian >> wall >> because they already had a hatred for Christians. The world hates us. And so I was like, "Okay, I got to be sneaky Jesus." I guess in these >> Yeah. I have a hard drive named Sneaky Jesus. And it's literally Jesus pointing his head out the side. It's awesome. It's great. But I I want you to hear this because I I really feel like this is powerful. This is going to unlock something within you today. I remember one evening I was I was sitting down. We were in the in the tavern area or whatever and there's this guy just completely wasted out of his mind. I don't know how he was able to carry on a conversation with me. Um, but we were just chatting and he starts like grabbing his belly and he's like, "Man, I am in so much pain right now." And he's just like openly complaining about it. And initially I could have been like, "Yeah, cuz you probably had way too much to drink. Like I I mean you're drinking 100 proof like some like crazy stuff and you're just rolling them back." And um we're we're we're we're chatting on and everything and I just kept listening. It was just the Holy Spirit. It's just like just shut up. Just let him talk. Let him speak. And he starts sharing about his it's not that he was drunk. It's he had ulcers in his stomach. And he starts telling me the story about how ever since he was a child, he dealt with like major major anxiety. And that anxiety, his doctor said, is what's created the ulcers within his body. I never would have known this or found this out if I had run my mouth about Jesus. >> This is so cool. And so, so I'm talking with him and I just I see the window. I'm ready to jump through. I'm just like, "Bro, like what would your life look like if you were healed?" And he starts to think about it. He's like, "Oh, man. To never be in pain again would just be incredible. It'd be a miracle." He said that. It was awesome. And I was just like, "Well, I I believe in miracles and I'd love to to pray with you and see you healed." And he actually asked me again because there's lots of witches and lots of stuff, you know, weird [snorts] stuff. He's like, "Who's your medium to the spirit realm?" And I was like, "Jesus Christ." And he's like, "Let's go. Let's pray." >> And so I I was just like, "Hey, all right. Before I pray, I just want you to know I'm going to lay hands on you. And when I lay hands on you, Jesus is going to heal your body. >> Come on. >> I just prayed a simple prayer. God, you want this man to be healed. I pray you don't just heal him from this pain, but you would heal him of anxiety. >> Amen. >> See, see, listen. God doesn't just want to heal the symptoms. He wants to get to the root of the problem. I think too many times we we we clap we we clap at, you know, oh, I got healed of this disease or I got healed of this thing, but then we we don't actually look at what caused it >> and then it starts coming back again. And so I'm like, I'm I'm praying for the anxiety. Simple prayer done. In Jesus name, by your blood, be healed. And the bro opened his eyes shocked. Not only was the pain gone, but he completely sobered up. [laughter] And he's just like, "What just happened?" I was just like, "Jesus loves you." >> And he like he went off and started telling all these people that I'm some like weird guy praying for people. [laughter] It was awesome. It was amazing. But but if we can actually sit in these spaces and be willing to be understanding of where someone is at or begin to understand why is it that you're that you're transgender? >> Why is it that you don't feel comfortable within your own body? >> Why is it that you're attracted to the opposite sex or to the same sex? >> Why? We just sit in that space and God begins to reveal in those moments like like I I I have the scripture. I'm not going to pull it up just yet, but like I love when Jesus is standing or he's sitting at the well and the Samaran woman comes to the well and and and he begins to just chat with her and begins to talk about this living water and she's just like, "Man, I I would love that. I would I would love to never thirst ever again." And Jesus is standing in this space in the crossroads where he's really desiring us to sit in as well >> with people to hear their story, to hear their life. And here's what's so cool. You may not get the whole story, but if you'll lean on the Holy Spirit, he'll reveal it to you. >> Because what did Jesus do in that story? He's just like, "Yeah, go back and tell your husband." And he's like, she's like, "I don't have a husband." He's like, "Yeah, I know. You've had five." >> Right? >> And he begins to get a word of knowledge for where she's at. And then she's just like, "You are the Christ. You are You must be the Messiah cuz how could you have known this?" It wasn't like me having to lead someone completely to the cross, but I was able to stand in that place, bring them to a place of healing, and let the Holy Spirit do the rest. >> That's what that's what God is calling us to do. And and and it starts with us considering [clears throat] others feelings. Again, I'm not talking about like toxic empathy where we we change the truth based on how somebody feels. The truth is still the truth and I'm going to stand on it till the day I die. >> Amen. But if I could be open to hearing your truth and understanding why it is that you hate the church, >> why it is I mean some of the stories that I that I heard about, you know, my father beat me and so I just want to be a girl cuz my sister was always safe. >> You know, my mother my mother hated hated me. And so I'd rather be in the arms of someone that's the same sex as me, same gender as me. When we start to sit in the gap and hear these stories and come to a place of understanding, we're able to hear them, love them, and then lead them to the cross. >> Because that's the goal. >> Like again, you you may feel like standing and waving at people on their way to hell and screaming about the truth is the way to be a Christian. But I would much rather stand at the crossroads and love too much rather than be known for judging too harshly. >> Amen. >> Because again, this this even goes into our next point. The wise yield and show mercy. When we stop and we go, maybe maybe I'm wrong. Maybe you're right. Or, wow, I didn't I didn't know that this was your story. Like, I cou
