Like looking in the Mirror

These last two weeks we have been studying the book of James as a youth group. Last wednesday, we covered James 1:5-11. If you are looking for a place to do devotions, James is an excellent read and is filled with practical and challenging applications. Anyways, one of the topics James addresses was very challenging for me and I want to share that with you as well.

When you get up in the morning, what is the first thing you do? Or maybe it is the last thing you do before you leave? You always take a look at yourself in the mirror to see if everything is "looking good." You use this mirror as a way to interpret how other people will see you in the day. As we were studying through James, this idea came up. In James 1:8-11, he addresses to Christian believers. One is a poor man, and the other is a rich one. To the poor one he says, "Glory in your high position" and to the rich one he says, "Glory in your humiliation." Why would James say this? It seems like he is saying exactly the opposite of what their status is in their world. As I looked deeper into the meaning of the words and studied what some commentators had to say, it became very clear what he was talking about. Here's what I found:

When you take a closer look at the Greek and the context of the passage it becomes very clear. James is telling them to evaluate themselves according to God's standards and not the world's. To the poor believer he says, "Glory in your high position" meaning, even though you have a low position in this world, realize that you are a child of God and that you have an inheritance in heaven that is far higher than anything here on earth. To the rich believer he states, "Glory in your humiliation." In the Greek, the world humiliation actually meant, in reference to your sinful body. He was telling the rich beliver that, even though you have a high position on earth, realize that you are a sinner saved by grace. It is only by God's grace, and nothing of your own merit, that you will inherit the kingdom.

I thought that this concept was amazing and just wanted to share it with you. May we look at God's word, and God's standard like a mirror to evaluate who we are. We cannot allow ourselves to give in to what the world says about us whether it is good or bad. We must realize that we need to interpret our value by spiritual standards and not material ones!