Pollution solution

For several weeks this summer, multiple fires in our northern neighbor, Canada, funneled choking smoke over the Pacific Northwest. Several times, my town had smoke pollution so bad it was the worst in the nation, at times rivaling infamous smoggy cities around the world.  As an asthmatic, I stayed inside a lot for health’s sake. Then one night I awoke to the faint sound of rain drops. I looked out, opened a window and breathed in that pungent fresh-rain smell, rejoicing that at least for a while our skies would be clear.

My Bible reading those smoggy days included the book of James, so I perked up when I read this:

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world, (James 1:27 NIV).

The word for “polluted” in Greek is “aspilos,” which also described the unspotted, unstained lamb offered in Old Testament sacrifices.  Here, it means “free from all defilement in the sight of God.” In our times, when so much media assaults our ears and eyes, we need to be particularly careful of the values we might be taking in.  The latest internet site or game, movie or television show may not, and does not, have to be a “must see” for a Christian who holds values at variance with what the screen portrays.

The book of James unites belief and practice.  His emphasis is “believe and do”:

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourself.  Do what it says. (James 1:22)

He particularly pressed down on misuse of the tongue. Besides swearing or foul language, this included any negative communication that didn’t honor God and His purposes.  James said bluntly that the person with an uncontrolled tongue has worthless religion (1:26).

But he turned to the “do,” and that was to share Christ’s love and compassion with those who in the First Century were utterly helpless.  There was no Social Security, Medicaid or welfare type program as a safety net for families in need. In those days, when a husband or father died, unless the extended family could step in to help, children and mothers were left in terrible shape. Thus, James’ reminder for the church (as energized by compassionate Christians) to step up, looking after these orphans and widows “in their distress.”

For years my church and others have quietly done just that, especially reaching out to very needy widows or single moms through food distribution, financial counseling, and other aid. The social concern advocated in James is also one reason I’ve sewn hundreds of baby blankets that I donate to hospitals to give newborns from impoverished families.

After a week or so of marvelously blue skies, some local fires returned haze to our skies. But I’d breathed enough unhealthy air earlier to remind me of this pure, refreshing truth: we have a sinless Savior, whose example leads the way to real life.