to boast or not to boast.
“Believers who are poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them. And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like a little flower in the field. The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements. God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him (nlt).”
Boast: (n) a source of pride.
At first, this section seemed random to me. it appeared a little out of place considering that we just talked about having joy and trusting God in our trials. And now James shifts the topic to “boasting.” That’s odd.
He states (according to the new living translation) that the poor can boast that God has honored them and the rich can boast that God has humbled them… this is interesting to me. James is encouraging the poor and humbling the rich…. But isn’t this what both groups need to hear? Don’t the poor need to know that they can boast in the Lord and that he has honored them even when the world doesn’t? And don’t the rich need to be reminded that that it was God who gave them their riches and as quickly as the flower blooms and dies is how quickly our life, and our stuff, will pass?
I guess it doesn’t really matter whether we have money or don’t have money, at the end of the day our life is as quick and short as a flower in the field (Now that’s humbling). Look at what the Lord says about boasting in Jeremiah 9:23,24:
“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom
or the strong boast of their strength
or the rich boast of their riches,
24 but let the one who boasts boast about this:
that they have the understanding to know me,
that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness,
justice and righteousness on earth,
for in these I delight,
declares the LORD.”
Like I said, at first this section didn’t seem to fit … but now I see how it fits perfectly. I used to boast about doing youth ministry as my career. it was where I found my security and identity. When I felt led to step down from youth ministry I was confronted with the reality of how terribly wrong i was. I had been boasting in something that didn’t last. i had found my identity in something that was meant to be a gift. I realize now that despite my career or service in the ministry, I have something far more dependable that I can boast in. my spelling…. Just kidding. But really, that I know the God who exercises “kindness, justice, and righteousness on the earth.” that’s something to boast about.
Showing posts with label james 1. Show all posts
Showing posts with label james 1. Show all posts
Monday, November 1, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
james 1.1-8
joy
"1James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings.2Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,3knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.5But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.6But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.7For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. "
i like james. he gets to the point...quickly. it's almost like he's saying here's who i am, now lets get to the issue.... how are you facing trials in life? and, do you really believe God when you ask for His help in these trials?
it's interesting to me how he says consider it pure joy when you face trials of many kinds... not "if" you face them but "when" you face them. and not only does he say we will face trials, but when we do we should be joyful. now that just seems weird. why would we be "joyful" when life gets tough? because through the testing (or trial) we learn endurance and become essentially who we are supposed to be...complete, lacking in nothing. i lack in many things- spelling for one, but patience, trust, and so on. and here james is saying that as we endure these trials we are becoming people who (using myself as an example) have trust and patience. who are becoming more like Christ.
and isn't it interesting that right after james says, "that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing," he says "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously." why "wisdom" i wonder. of all the things we could be lacking and ask God for, why is it that james chooses to use wisdom? maybe because it's what keeps us from giving up.
i've noticed that when i don't have wisdom about a particular topic i tend to give up on it more quickly. when i first started running i thought you were supposed to run as fast and as hard as you could every run. i also didn't know stretching after a run was vital. so my knees started hurting and i immediately had shin splints. almost 2 weeks in i stopped running thinking my body couldn't handle it. it wasn't until a friend of mine, who runs religiously, let me in that my running knowledge was completely incorrect (in a nice way, of course). i obviously didn't have much knowledge about what i was doing and because i didn't, i just gave up. however, the little knowledge i did have was incorrect and kept me from doing what i wanted to do, run. i wonder if it's the same way spiritually? if we don't have the wisdom we need to remind us that this is only a trial and the importance of sticking with it, it's much easier for us to give up. but what's so great about God is that he's gracious. if we ask, he gives us wisdom.
however, there's a catch.... we have to believe it. we have to believe that when we ask God for wisdom or for help, he will. we have to have faith. and we all know how easy that is (that was sarcasm).
so, now, i love running. i took some time, some 1/2 mile runs, some 2 day breaks, and some stretching... but i'm glad i stuck with it to figure it out. i'm actually hoping to do a half marathon soon.
hope you liked your coffee.
"1James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings.2Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,3knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.5But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.6But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.7For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. "
i like james. he gets to the point...quickly. it's almost like he's saying here's who i am, now lets get to the issue.... how are you facing trials in life? and, do you really believe God when you ask for His help in these trials?
it's interesting to me how he says consider it pure joy when you face trials of many kinds... not "if" you face them but "when" you face them. and not only does he say we will face trials, but when we do we should be joyful. now that just seems weird. why would we be "joyful" when life gets tough? because through the testing (or trial) we learn endurance and become essentially who we are supposed to be...complete, lacking in nothing. i lack in many things- spelling for one, but patience, trust, and so on. and here james is saying that as we endure these trials we are becoming people who (using myself as an example) have trust and patience. who are becoming more like Christ.
and isn't it interesting that right after james says, "that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing," he says "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously." why "wisdom" i wonder. of all the things we could be lacking and ask God for, why is it that james chooses to use wisdom? maybe because it's what keeps us from giving up.
i've noticed that when i don't have wisdom about a particular topic i tend to give up on it more quickly. when i first started running i thought you were supposed to run as fast and as hard as you could every run. i also didn't know stretching after a run was vital. so my knees started hurting and i immediately had shin splints. almost 2 weeks in i stopped running thinking my body couldn't handle it. it wasn't until a friend of mine, who runs religiously, let me in that my running knowledge was completely incorrect (in a nice way, of course). i obviously didn't have much knowledge about what i was doing and because i didn't, i just gave up. however, the little knowledge i did have was incorrect and kept me from doing what i wanted to do, run. i wonder if it's the same way spiritually? if we don't have the wisdom we need to remind us that this is only a trial and the importance of sticking with it, it's much easier for us to give up. but what's so great about God is that he's gracious. if we ask, he gives us wisdom.
however, there's a catch.... we have to believe it. we have to believe that when we ask God for wisdom or for help, he will. we have to have faith. and we all know how easy that is (that was sarcasm).
so, now, i love running. i took some time, some 1/2 mile runs, some 2 day breaks, and some stretching... but i'm glad i stuck with it to figure it out. i'm actually hoping to do a half marathon soon.
hope you liked your coffee.
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