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You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

 

My husband and I are rewatching the Netflix series “The Crown” and I was recently reminded of a member from the royal family, who gave up that lifestyle to join a convent and dedicate her life to serving God. Instead of living an extravagant life of luxury, she lived in an old run-down building with a leaky roof, without enough money for the necessary food and supplies. She dedicated her life to serving the Lord and put the needs of her community above her own. What a leap of faith and true humility.

While this is an extreme example, how often do we prioritize simple luxuries in our life over serving the Lord and the needs of those around us? Do you work to build your own glory or live for the Glory of God? We all work hard to save up and make a nice life for our families, but one thing I’ve learned is the more you have, the more you want. It is important to keep our priorities in line and living a life that glorifies the Lord. James reminds us to purify our hearts and humble ourselves before the Lord and he will give us grace. What an amazing God we have!

Lord, it is easy to be distracted by the flashy things around us and lose sight of the many blessings you have bestowed upon us. Help me to put my own earthly desires aside and focus living a life that brings Glory to you. Amen

Karen DeMauro

Karen.demauro@gmail.com

 

Prayer Concern: For our church leaders, that they be good stewards of our resources to best serve God’s mission.