Not Worth Comparing

While we were having problems with programming the blog, I found some extra time to catch up on reading.  My favorite authors are the "unknowns," like myself.  The web is filled with good Christian writers who publish on a daily schedule.  Usually, these thoughts and messages come from personal experience, or from some section of the Bible which has become meaningful to them.  One such writer told the following story.

 An old Yiddish folk story tells of a well-to-do gentleman of leisure, much interested in the Hebrew Scriptures. He visited a wise rabbi to ask a question. He said: “I think I grasp the sense and meaning of these writings except for one thing. I cannot understand how we can be expected to give God thanks for our troubles.” The rabbi knew instantly that he could not explain this with mere words. He said to the gentleman: “If you want to understand this, you will have to visit Isaac the water-carrier.” The gentleman was mystified by this, but knowing the rabbi to be wise, crossed to a poor section of the settlement and came upon Isaac the water-carrier, an old man who had been engaged in mean, lowly, backbreaking labor for some fifty years.

The gentleman explained the reason for his visit. Isaac paused from his labors. Finally, after several minutes of silence, looking baffled, he spoke: “I know that the rabbi is the wisest of men. But I cannot understand why he would send you to me with that question. I can’t answer it because I’ve had nothing but wonderful things happen to me. I thank God every morning and night for all his many blessings on me and my family.”

Does the story have a message for you?  Let me answer that by asking a couple more questions.  Are our lives so filled with leisure that we, too, cannot understand why God would expect us to give him thanks and praise for our problems?   James writes about this very thing in the first chapter of his New Testament book.  "² Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."  James 1:2-4

For the Christian, the troubles and problems which come, are testing our faith which produces something called perseverance.  James says when perseverance gets through with us, we are a more mature and complete people, lacking in nothing.

Perhaps that is what the Spirit was dropping into Paul's heart when he wrote,  "sufferings of the present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

The Christian's life may be called upon to experience some trouble, persecution, ridicule, or even physical injury and death.  Big problems or little ones, mixed with our perseverance in the faith will always bring about God's intended result of maturity.  The thing we must remember is, in God's hands we are always safe.....and always overcomers.

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