James 1:2-3, 12 (ESV)

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

I’ve been reading James lately. When we think of James we almost always think of the passage, “Faith without works is dead.” Some see it as a troubling passage, putting emphasis on works instead of grace. Others see it as a corrective passage, bringing balance to Paul’s teaching on grace. Still others see it as contradictory to Paul. Those in this last camp tend to take sides. They assert either that Paul is right, or James is right. Personally, I see it as complementary to Paul. I don’t think they are saying anything different at all. But what has really caught my attention this time is that I’m not sure that is what James is really about at all. James starts and ends talking about suffering. I think James is about living as though there is more to life than this world and our few years on it. I think that James is about living in light of eternity.

How can one possibly “count it all joy” when we face a wide variety of trials and difficulties? I have friends in constant pain. I have family members grieving. I hear of brothers and sisters in Christ being persecuted for their faith. How do we count that all joy? I have a friend who was stoned as a boy for his faith in Christ. He had to get ten stiches in his head from one of the rocks thrown at him. As a young man, he was knifed, and had a knife held to his throat demanding that he denounce Jesus. His church has been burned, burgled, and shot up. His response? “God says to forgive.” But how do you count that all joy?

I think that is what James is ultimately about. How do we live in an unfriendly world and remain faithful? He offers a quick answer to the question of joy in the verses quoted above. He reminds us of two truths. First, trials build steadfastness in the life of the believer. Second, steadfastness leads to ultimate blessing. “When he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him” (Jas 1:12).

I’ve been told that in wet years, trees grow fast. Rain produces growth in size. But it is the dry years that make the trees strong. If you look at the rings in a tree you will notice that some are very narrow, and some are quite wide. The wide rings developed in years with plenty of moisture. They make the tree big. The narrow rings came in years of drought. They make the tree strong.

We have been too often focused on how to make the church bigger, while God’s concern is with making the church stronger. We may have lots of people attending church, but how many are willing to attend when their church starts getting shot up? How many are willing to attend when they are being threatened because of their faith? How many are willing to attend when it is not convenient, not comfortable, and not entertaining?

I am not criticizing churches. I am re-evaluating my own life. Do I count it all joy when I experience trials? Am I choosing faith or comfort? Am I living as though now is all there is, or am I living in light of eternity? Is Jesus seen more clearly in me when things go wrong, or does the Old Man take over? Do I attend church because I need to be there, or because it is a fairly convenient habit? I hate to say it, but maybe what we really need as 21^st century American believers is a little more pain in our lives.