I've hung out with a lot of different Jesus's in my walk. I've been with the One who died on the cross, whom I've sat in front of humble. I've had lunch with the One who gave the Sermon on the Mount, who spoke in metaphor, gave me life lessons and confused me while still preparing a way for me later on. I've hung out with the One who heals, delivers signs, walks on water. Though, lately, I've spent a lot of time with the Jesus who came into the temple and knocked over tables. The Jesus who spoke truth to the people in the church selling animals for sacrifice (Matthew 21:12-17).
I've been reading through James, and I feel like the table-flipping Jesus is the one who walks me through this book. It seems that most of the time God tries to get my attention, it's in that way. I ask for big signs, grand gestures and God provides, let me tell ya. While reading the first chapter, I was reminded of my faith, or lack their of at times. "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness" (v. 2&3). Steadfastness: adj. resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering. Resolutely: adv. showing firm determination or purpose.When trouble comes your way be joyous, for when your faith is tested it produces an unwavering determination.
Most of the time, when I face trouble, the first thing that comes to my mind isn't joy, it's usually not even God. It's self-loathing and fleeing and anger and self-loathing and no part of me is happy I'm facing this junk. James isn't telling us to be happy because of trouble, he's telling us our strong faith produces an unwavering determination and with that we should be joyful. Our prayer life shouldn't be asking God to make things easy, no one is compelled by a life full of cupcakes, trials are a blessing. Trials are God's time to shine.
"Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls" (v. 19-21). The first time I heard these verses, I thought I was being told every Christian should be pushovers who are soft-spoken and get their lunch money taken. What James is really telling us is that we can't play God. Let me say that again, when we allow our anger to take over, our anger that is not God's righteous anger, we're playing God. Romans 12:19 makes it clear by saying, "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.'" It's God's job to defend us, that doesn't make us pansies, that makes all the more victorious.
I was reading an article last week about David Wise, the US gold medalist for freestyle skiing. A 23-years-old Christian who is married with a daughter and the news referred to his adult life as an alternative lifestyle. I read it and loved the sound of that. We as Christians are not of the world, the bible makes that clear. We're called out of darkness into light, to look different, even in our anger.
James 1 ends with my summarized version of verses 22-27: "if you are only a hearer of the word and not a doer it's like you look into a mirror, see your face and then two minutes later don't recognize yourself. v. 25--But if you look into the perfect law, the law of liberty and persevere, not only hearing but doing, you will be blessed in your doing. v. 26--If you think you're religious, but you sound like a sailor driving down the highway in a semi-truck reading lines from the movie Good Fellas, you're religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God looks like visiting the orphans and widows. It looks like David Wise who is 23 and not indulging in the "perks" of having a gold medal."
If we look pure and undefiled to only people watching, God still gets glory, but you're the same piece of sinful junk as you were yesterday, live in the light, even in your language, which I'll be talking much more about in the upcoming days. We should look different from the world, because shadows always follow.
Let me leave on a positive note and say this: God loves our junk. He wants to better us, but for Him to do that we have to show Him the molded parts in our life before we're brought to life. God makes our junk look good. So, as I continue through James, I want this picture to stand out to you.
I'm just a sinner whose pile of junk only builds daily. But God makes beauty out of that, He builds and makes new constantly. God wants every aspect of us, submit and be transformed.
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