"To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings." (James 1:1)

As I went over my notes from the first day of this study in James, I was struck by the contrast of James' position and that of the recipients of his letter.

Whereas James proclaims that he is  a bond-servant after His Lord's physical departure, the Jews he is talking to were hard-core followers while Jesus was around. But after He left, they were shaken.
These twelve tribes were "scattered" due to persecution, but James tells them that they are not to be "scattered" in their loyalties. They still belong to the King. They are still God's chosen people.
James says that he has not used His master's physical absence as an excuse for growing feeble in His faith; he has not used this scattering of believers as an excuse not to stand strong in the Lord. James says that his ear is still pierced. His ear is ever inclined towards His master.
By the words that follow in James' letter, we see that the Jews were neglecting certain commands of God.
"But James!" they might've said, "James, don't you realize we are in foreign cities? We are weak minorities, foreigners. As soon as we begin publicly living out our faith, we will again be persecuted. We know we're supposed to give to the poor, but we ourselves are impoverished!"

How reasonable it sounds. Why would James ask the poor to give to the poor, why not go to other churches and ask them to send money to the scattered tribes? Why ask these refuges to do something that would provoke the leaders of the towns they are in to persecute them? But consider how opposite the thread of this passage in Acts 5:

"But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.“The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree.  Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.  And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.  When they heard this, they were furious and plotted to kill them.

Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while.  And he said to them: “Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men.  For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody. A number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing. After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed.  And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.” (Acts5:29:36)

 Peter and the apostles were proof that this Jesus was no con-man. He wasn't a liar, a rebel, a man "claiming to be somebody." He was very God of very God.
"Don't you get it?" James is saying, "If you become a friend of the world, you are in fact claiming that Jesus isn't worth it, that He wasn't and isn't God! Your life will proclaim that He is still rotting in the grave! Sons and daughters of Israel, we serve the Living God!"

O how much more, brothers and sisters, ought we, in our day, to serve Christ! We have no good excuse to not give, to not live out the Christian life, to not proclaim with our lives that we serve the living God! We are not scattered, but we are owned.