A Wise Perspective
Opening Prayer
God, challenge my perspective on life today.
Read James 1:12–18
12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Wisdom is having a realistic understanding of our “old” nature and our “new” nature.James now looks at another aspect of enduring trials: that is, perspective. Our status as a kind of “firstfruits” of all God created (18) is critical to understanding the rest of James. We have experienced new birth through Christ, and this changes everything. There is joy for us now and into the future despite our circumstances (12).
Andrew White, author of The Vicar of Baghdad: Fighting for Peace in the Middle East, has written of his time in war-torn Iraq: “What kept me going in the midst of so much hardship is love. The apostle John says that, ‘perfect love casts out fear’… I have also been able to overcome this sorrow through the love I have experienced from the people at my church… Through this love, I have experienced incredible joy” (www.bigissue.com).
James reminds us that God is good and that everything we need is in and from him. The problem lies in ourselves, in our desires (14), which lead us to sin (15). Sin is out of vogue now as our culture tries to excuse it away. But James says we cannot evade responsibility.
Apply
Do a heart check on your desires. Do they line up with God’s desires? Are you living according to your new birth in Christ?
Closing prayer
We must remember that it is a good God who can rescue us from ourselves and be relied on in hard times. Pray around this idea.
Click here to sign up to receive the EXTRAs via email each quarter.
© 2024 Scripture Union U.S.A. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited.
Discovery is published in the USA under license from Scripture Union England and Wales, Trinity House, Opal Court, Opal Drive, Fox Milne, Milton Keynes, MK15 0DF.