James 4:13-15
“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into this city, and spend a year there, and trade, and make a profit.” Whereas you don’t know what your life will be like tomorrow. For what is your life? For you are a vapor, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live, and do this or that.””
This letter, written by James (often identified as Jesus' brother) probably to Jewish Christians scattered across the Roman Empire, emphasizes that true faith is shown through action and practical living. Here, he cautions against overconfident future planning without acknowledging life's fragility and God's sovereignty.
How might acknowledging the unknown aspects of the future influence how we approach our plans today?