Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. (James 1:16-17)
Its amazing the difference a new pair of eyeglasses can make, especially if its been several years since your last visit to the optometrist. Things that may have been a bit fuzzy, suddenly become crystal clear. You may had had to squint or hold a book at arms length, but reading instantly becomes a breeze. If you’re having trouble seeing, it may be time to check your prescription.
Do You Dwell on the Negative?
When it comes to seeing life’s problems, disappointments, inconveniences, or any negative thing, we often have 20/20 vision. We can spot these things from a mile away, and continue to talk about them long after they have passed. Its easy to dwell on the negative and to allow ourselves to become negative people. We might even be tempted to blame God for our troubles, or at the very least question why we have it so tough.
James confronts our inclination to grumble by warning, “do not be deceived!” He reminds us that God is not the bringer of evil but the bringer of good. Don’t forget this, or let yourself be fooled. The devil is very good at confusing us, and we can talk ourselves into believing a lie. When we try to pin all the bad stuff that happens in the world on the Lord, we are making a huge mistake. The world he created was beautiful and perfect in every way. It is only broken because of us (fallen humanity). From the beginning, God has extended his love toward us again and again, even when we have pushed him away. No matter what you think, the Lord is not your enemy.
Open Your Eyes to God’s Blessings
Instead of dwelling on your troubles, open your eyes to the blessings of life all around you. Did the sun rise this morning? Did you wake up in a comfortable bed? Do you hear the song of birds chirping outside your window? Can you smell the pleasant aroma of coffee brewing in the kitchen? Did you have something to eat yesterday? Is there food waiting to be prepared in your cupboard? Do you hear the voices of your children playing? Do you have friends and family who care about you? Are there meaningful activities on your to-do list for the day?
I’m sure you’ve answered yes to many of these questions, and have seen so many other simple expressions of God’s grace. If that is the case, doesn’t that mean you are blessed? We might take these blessings for granted, but if we took the time to count them all, acknowledging the good, and giving thanks to the giver, this would make a tremendous difference in our attitude.
Cherish the Giver of Gifts
“Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above.” Remember the source of all our blessings. We can’t take the credit for any of these things.
Maybe you work hard to provide food and shelter for your family. This is commendable, but before patting yourself on the back think about the one who gave you the capacity to work, and who blessed you with the gift of family.
Maybe you’ve had some health troubles, and have made several trips to the doctor. I know how hard that can be. But in those times we can also appreciate the one who gave us life in the first place, and who formed our amazing and intricately designed bodies.
Maybe you’ve found yourself at the end of your rope and are falling apart inside. We cherish the encouragement of a caring friend, but we should also cherish the God who gives us friends and sends them as ministers of compassion when we need it most. Even in a broken world, there is still good to be enjoyed.
Every good thing comes from the Father of lights. Like a loving parent who enjoys lavishing his children with gifts, our Heavenly Father blesses us more than we realize. He watches over us, and provides for us, and is generous toward us. How can we not express our deepest gratitude?
The Unchanging God
The passage says, “there is no variation or shifting shadow” in his character. This means God will not suddenly change. He is not kind one moment and then vindictive the next. If the Lord is faithful today, he will suddenly turn treacherous tomorrow. He is the unchanging God: the same yesterday, today, and forever. That means we can count on him always. Our circumstances might change, and our needs might change, but our faithful and gracious God will never change.
Verse 18 tells us, “he brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among his creatures.” This is describing about our spiritual birth, when we believed the gospel and became children of God. He choose to redeem us at great cost to himself. The power of God is transforming. This is not only true in our individual lives, but also for a universe that has been corrupted by sin. James says that believers are first fruits among the rest of creation, which means this is only the beginning. God has bigger plans in store, and as his children we will have front row seats when Christ returns to vanquish evil and make all things new. The work he is doing in us today is just a foretaste of that greater work still to come.
The Ultimate Gift
The blessings of salvation we enjoy already point forward to future glory. This is the ultimate gift. Even if my life were filled with one hardship after another, even in sorrow, there would still be blessings in Christ that no one could ever take away from me. Shouldn’t that affect our attitude? Shouldn’t that fill our lives with praise?
Be careful about allowing yourself to dwell on the negative. That is our natural inclination. Instead, let us recognize the good and perfect gifts that come on a daily basis from the Father of lights above.