Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when
he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised
to those who love him. James 1:12 (NIV)
Everyone appreciates a passing grade. No one wants to fail.
When I was in fifth grade, I received an “F” on a pop quiz. I only scored two
correct answers out of five. It’s the only failing grade I ever received in
school. (Now, I know that some people just aren’t into school. I’m not
bragging. For the sake of full disclosure, I was also the kid who struck out at
tee ball. Ouch! The ball is right there… I quit the team.)
Our educational system has indoctrinated us with the idea of
what it takes to measure up. If we can accomplish the first three letters of
the alphabet (A, B, C), then we’re in reasonably good shape. If we get a little
further into the alphabet, we’re in trouble. If we perform well, we succeed. If
we perform poorly, we fail.
God doesn’t grade on a curve. He also doesn’t grade on a
scale. Sinners go to Hell. Saints go to Heaven. The only difference is that
“saints” chose God’s forgiveness and “sinners” chose against it.
The test James speaks of in this passage is for “saints”
only. Here’s the test: “if you persevere, you will receive the crown.” Here’s
what it doesn’t say: “if you persevere with a smile on your face, if you never
have a bad day, if you never utter a discouraging word, if you never doubt, if
you sing hymns and recite platitudes while you’re suffering, then God will
bless you” – those aren’t the conditions at all.
If we persevere, if we grin and bear it, if we admit our
weakness and lean into God, if we just make it through, then we will receive
the crown of life. There are no A-plus Christians or D-minus Christians. The
crowns are all the same color. There is no gold, silver and bronze.
How do we pass God’s tests? By simply completing the test
and not giving up. It’s okay to strike out. Just don’t quit the team.
What do you feel like giving up on today? I would encourage
you to give up trying to figure everything out and surrender it to God. Instead
of walking out, turn to God and say, “I just can’t fix this. God, I need you to
take over.” Then, wait and see what He does.
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