Mirror, Mirror

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways (James 1:5-8).

That doesn't really sound like the description of someone who can walk on water, does it?

James is kind of straight-up. No dilly-dallying around the point for him. You know--he's the one who begins his letter with "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds...." If the New Testament writers were contestants on a reality show, James would be the no-nonsense personal trainer that doesn't take anyone's drama.

At least, that's the way I've always pictured him, and a lot of people think James is a book meant to terrify people into religion (doing "good works" to get into heaven). But I think these are oversimplifications (and misrepresentations) of James's heart.

I think James wanted us to know that it's time to put our faith out there and believe for the BIG. His book is a book that gives mighty examples of faith by people who knew God--and dares to assert that we, too, can know Him and see our faith at work in the world in big ways. I only read the first chapter this morning, but it kind of blew my socks off. (Not literally, for which I am thankful, because my apartment is very cold this time of year.)

James was writing to believers of the Dispersion, those who lived outside of the Palestine area where Jesus' ministry took place. In case you were wondering, that's you. (Unless I've picked up some readers from first-century Jerusalem.)

James warns his readers: Do not be deceived. That's a pretty important thing for believers to remember. There are so many lies about God's identity and our identity that we can become confused.

Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures (1:16-18).

This is serious confidence about the goodness of God and the status He gives His sons and daughters, especially for someone who has just finished encouraging his readers to be steadfast in trial. It's one thing to be sure of God's identity in good times, but it's another to be firmly convinced of His goodness during bad times.

That's no-nonsense faith.

People like to turn James into a book of victimization ("Christians are persecuted people who have to suffer in silence"), or a book about "faith versus works" to prove salvation. I could discuss either of these things for hours, and I might do so with you if you ever take me out to coffee. (Be ye warned.) I think, though, that this heavy first chapter (which I also would like to discuss in more detail...want to go get coffee?) sets up the theme for the book.

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing (1:22-25).

I think a lot of people read that and immediately rush out to "do" a bunch of things, such as running church committees and fundraising for orphans and donating all their money to charity and running a 5k for cancer. I don't think there is anything wrong with these things (particularly if I start a charity and am in need of your funding). But I also don't think this is what James is talking about.

You probably look at yourself in the mirror every morning. Some people need more mirror time than others, and some need to look repeatedly throughout the day...you know, those of us who have a propensity to dropping ketchup on our shirts. But when you turn away from the mirror, you probably instantly stop thinking about what you look like. After all, if you're not looking in a mirror, you can't really see yourself.

Obviously, James is not talking about a real mirror. He compares a mirror to the perfect law, the law of liberty. He says that if we will look at that, and remember it, and do it, we will be blessed.

What does that mean? How do we "do" the law of liberty? And what is it, anyway, James?????

The "law of liberty" is Jesus Christ.

Jesus is the Word become flesh, right? He's the Word (the Law) of God. And His life brings us salvation from sin AND the Holy Spirit, who gives us freedom (2 Corinthians 3:17). When you look into the law of liberty, you're looking not at yourself, but straight into the face of Jesus. And in Jesus, we see who we were created to be. Mirrors don't lie. They always tell the truth. And Jesus IS the truth. He will never misrepresent the Father to you (John 14:6-7), nor will He misrepresent you to the Father (Hebrews 7:25).

It is easy to wake up and read your Bible and remember who you are in Christ; and then the next minute get into your car and grumble at every driver who gets in your way. (Have I done this? Maybe....) It is even easier to worship your heart out Sunday morning, and then when you go out to lunch and see someone who is in need of big prayer, to turn your eyes away. (Um, yeah, definitely done this.)

What James is telling us to "do" here is not to go sign up for twenty-seven more committees, but to just simply remember who we are as God's sons and daughters. He is telling us to simply be who we already are. When we remember who we are in Christ, we start to just do things as He would do things. We start to have faith like Jesus.

And He did things that were pretty incredible.

James wants us to know that when we look to Christ, we see who God is, and we see who we are. And knowing who He is produces in us a kind of faith that can change the world. What we "do" will not just be fundraisers and 5ks, but healings and deliverances and salvations, spreading the love of God to everyone across the earth.

James admonishes us to "count it all joy" when we endure trials because he knew that belief begets belief. The more you press into God's goodness and your identity in Christ during hard times, the more your faith to believe grows. If we have faith in who He is in hard times, how much more faith will we have when it comes time to believe Him for something really huge and miraculous and impossible? The steadfastness produced is a consistent persuasion of God's biblical character and your identity in Christ as His child. He is good; He is holy and perfect; He loves us; we are made righteous by Jesus; we are royalty; we can move mountains.

If we can just take hold of these truths, guys, we will have no problem walking on water.

Because I want this steadfastness of faith, I am determined to press into the knowledge of Him. I want to be full of faith when trials come, and I want to be full of faith when it is time for a gigantic miracle. I want to be the one people call to pray for impossible things.

Don't you?

I'm not saying that I've mastered this by any means. But I will continue to wake up every day and talk with the Holy Spirit and read my Bible so I can get to know Him and have the incredible faith--no matter what--that James had. I can already feel the ocean spray.

Anybody want to take a walk?