What does James actually mean by this? What is he aiming at? What does he want to bring out? What is the point? The point is that we make choices of our own volition. When we are merciless, we have chosen it; we have purposed to do it. The very fact that this was our personal choice is why we will face judgment without mercy. When we sow sparingly, it is our personal choice; therefore the unavoidable judgment is that we shall reap sparingly. In other words, the point of the exhortation is that we must always remember that we have many choices to make and that all our choices are critical; we have no excuse, for we have made the choice voluntarily, and the judgment will be accordingly. How prudent it is to choose the good as often as possible, as much as possible, as good as is possible at any given moment!!! It is extremely unwise to be stingy from a “business point of view.” Therefore we have the exhortation (by way of example) in Ecclesiastes 11:2: “Give a serving to seven, and also to eight . . . .” For example, when I choose to be disagreeable and stubborn, I believe that this is the best. How foolish that is! Dear brother, do not choose to be discouraged or to feel insulted. It is an especially foolish and disastrous choice. Do not forget that you make your own choices.Elias Aslaksen