James is an awesome book!  I’m really excited to be getting into it.

“The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position.  But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower.” – James 1:9-10

It seems like humanity is doomed to an existence of dissatisfaction.  No matter what our situation, most of us are out to improve it.  The best of us hope to improve the world a little along the way.  Contentment can be difficult to come by.  Then you read the Scriptures and statements like the one that James makes above.  When I read it, it stopped me cold.  I stopped reading.  I read verses 9 & 10 again.

Don’t miss the revolutionary nature of James’ statements!!  Maybe contentment is so elusive because I fail to embrace the more significant realities of life.  If you’re doing with out, take pride.  If you’ve got no financial worries, embrace humility.

Part of the reason this is so difficult for me is the issue of fairness.  If things aren’t great, it’s easy to believe that I deserve better.  If they are, it’s even easier to believe it’s what I deserve.

I don’t know about you, but it’s NOT just that I want a better life.  I want to feel better about myself.  The broken humanity in me is always looking to stuff/status for my identity.  What is it about me that thinks that nicer clothes, cars, houses, or a bigger number in the checkbook ledger actually add to my human worth?  James seems to have figured this out and maybe that’s why he could write verses 9-10 with credibility.

Look at verse 1.  James simply identifies himself as a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.  James was more though.  He was the half brother of Jesus.  This would’ve been a great time to flash his credentials…to name drop…to look important.  This was the perfect, “do you know who I am?” scenario.  But he doesn’t do any of that.

He finds his identity in being a servant.

He’s content because he’s confident in his identity in Christ.  What would happen if we intentionally laid down our credentials, our rights, our street cred, and purposed to only be known as HIS servants?  I think we would discover freedom like we’ve never experienced before.  Freedom to be ourselves.  Freedom from the pull of our stuff.  Freedom from empty pursuits.

I pray that for you and me today….