James 1:17 | Every Good Gift
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
James 1:17 (ESV)
James teaches us many things about the kingdom of God and how to live in wisdom, truth, and freedom. His letter is probably one of the most convicting books of the Bible. The level of clarity and boldness present in his writings cause me to pay even closer attention to each of the promises and warnings.
James 1:17 is an Instagram-worthy verse. The tone is pleasant, and the promise is poetically wonderful. Who doesn’t want to read about the good and perfect gifts that come from the Father of lights?
This verse contrasts with a few other warnings in this first chapter. James writes in chapter 1, verses 13-15, “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”
James leaves no room for confusion in a discussion about temptation and sin. God does not tempt his people into sin (unlike his willingness to discipline the children he loves through trials), and these evil desires come from our desires. The result? Sin and death.
That’s pretty intense for chapter one, but there’s a necessary seriousness when talking about the glorious promises of God. God’s promises are gifts from his throne of generosity and grace. James makes sure to counsel us before explaining the blessings of God by saying in James 1:16, “Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.”
It is good to talk about the gifts of God, but we should be careful not to confuse them with the temptations of the flesh. From this perspective, certain activities, lust, anger, jealousy, selfish ambition, idolatry, pride, and more are pathways to destruction. Yet, in the moment, humans are experts at self-deception. If we aren’t careful, we can confuse our choices and desires as gifts from God.
Whether this is as extreme as spiritualizing blatant sin or as subtle as shifting the focus of worship ever so slightly away from bringing him glory to satisfying our emotional needs, the danger is still present.
So how do we combat this tendency? I believe James sets us up with a posture shift. Look heavenward. The gifts of God do not stir within our hearts as “holy variations” of our sinful desires. They come from the dwelling place of the Father of lights. In that place, there is no shifting or manipulation of the truth to get a shortcut to happiness. Before his throne, there is no shadow for deception to hide.
Consider how pure and good God is; he has no shadow to hide anything. Even the most luxurious put-together home has dirty closets, chairs blocking scratches on the floor, and cobwebs accumulating in the shadows. Not in God’s house!
Set aside the desire for the things of this earth. Look above. God is giving gifts of love, joy, and peace to those who ask. They descend from heaven and find a home in the hearts of those filled with his Holy Spirit. Forsake the promises of the shadows to receive today’s mercy and grace from the Father of lights.
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