The finer things

James 1:1-18

          This is a rough morning around the household here. We spend yesterday celebrating Pride. I am hungover this morning, not from alcohol but from the shear activities of the day and the calories consumed. I am exhausted. It's difficult to get my mind wrapped around any serious efforts about today's readings. Clarity eludes me on any fine detail that might call to me. Perhaps it's a post-pride writers block.

           One thing that has not changed on awaking are my usual thoughts of how blessed I am.  Perhaps this is the perfect way to start the day, the perfect thing to convey this morning. An easy but erroneous message would be to dwell on some of the material things from yesterday that I enjoyed. Fine food would have to be high on that list.

           But the measure of our faith is not in all the 'goods' we have or feel we may ave obtained by our own hard work.  None of the things we might call distractions to faith, if not put in proper perspective, are worth a dime in the schema of life. Even having the perfect pew or a seat facing the correct way will help us. I saw many Hasidim yesterday and none of the garments and gestures will gain them anything. No amount of incense or gold chalices will help us either.

       When I awake and see the man I love, the cat laying next to me lovingly, knowing the gifts of the children and the children's children, that is what is meant to be thankful for. The sun , the day, each breath and bird song heard, that is to be thankful for. Viewing the 'super moon' with friends; that is to be thankful for. The gift of fellowship and faith shared; that is to be thankful for. A plate of berries and a cup 'o Joe; that is to be thankful for.

        The message for this morning about this passage from scripture is not the highs and lows of our material life but the essential 'things' of life that we are graced with and cannot be measured. They are priceless and we are graced to have them. We are graced to be able to see them, to realize just how loved and blessed we are.

      

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,

To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion:

Greetings. 

My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance;and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.

If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you. But ask in faith, never doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind; for the doubter, being double-minded and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

Let the believer who is lowly boast in being raised up, and the rich in being brought low, because the rich will disappear like a flower in the field. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the field; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. It is the same with the rich; in the midst of a busy life, they will wither away.

Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. No one, when tempted, should say, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one. But one is tempted by one’s own desire, being lured and enticed by it; then, when that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and that sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death.Do not be deceived, my beloved.

Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. In fulfilment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures.