The book of James is actually a letter from James, the half-brother of Jesus, to the Jewish Believers that are scattered around the countries of the world. James is one of the earliest New Testament books and was written before Paul’s missionary work was completed and at a time when the Church was still made up largely of Hebrew Christians.
Hegesippus, a 2nd century Christian writer, says that James had an unusual nickname. He was in the habit of entering alone into the temple and was frequently found upon his knees begging forgiveness for the people. Consequently, his knees became hard like those of a camel. That’s the kind of man I want to read after! I want to hear what old “Camel Knees” has to say about the Christian life and how to live it!
In the opening verses of his epistle, James tells us that we WILL suffer. He emphatically says, ‘…when you fall into various trials.’ Not IF but WHEN! I wish it did say IF. I know that this is not a comforting thought, but it seems that suffering is a strange little tool that God uses to work into our lives those things that He just can’t work any other way. What is God up to when it seems He doesn’t always come through and you fall into these ‘various trials.’