The Faith

 The faith of our Lord Jesus Christ is not currency, it is not leverage, it is not a means by which men should amass fortunes or a reason for some to feel superior over others. Likewise, it is not to be a source of division or the vehicle by which some in the church lord over those they deem beneath them. Some days, you wake up, make a pot of coffee, sit down to read your Bible, and instantly realize all the things the church of today is doing in direct opposition to the counsel of God and His holy word.

Everything James tells us not to do is common practice in most churches. We honor and venerate individuals based on their status, we show preferential treatment to some over others, and those tasked with shepherding the flock feel entitled to all its wool and some besides. When it comes to defending the sheep from the wolves, however, they’re always reticent, not wanting to dirty their garments or be on the outs with the in crowd. They do not possess the love of Jesus for the sheep in that they would stand between them and the wolves but rather see the sheep as a medium of exchange. Using someone isn’t loving them. It’s using them.

Our reputation as sleazy car salesmen is well deserved because we’ve strayed from the objective and disregarded what the Word says in lieu of filthy lucre. When you justify and validate someone’s admitted habitual sin because they lead worship, sing well, are big donors, or know how to work the fancy audio equipment rather than insist upon repentance, you’re more concerned about what you can get out of the person than about their eternal soul.

I’ve seen enough people used and discarded in various ministries to have an instant and visceral reaction to the practice. When they could no longer serve the purpose they were expected to serve or contribute what they had contributed before, they were cut off and ignored as though they were never there. Souls are paramount. Eternity matters more than someone being offended or feeling judged.

Treat everyone equally. Be willing to give of your time to a poor man in filthy clothes just as readily as you would to one in fine apparel with gold rings. Don’t play favorites.

That said, some people readily disregard that you have a family and other responsibilities and will monopolize your time to the point that you must remove yourself, but that’s a different issue altogether. It’s not so much about how much time you allot someone; it’s about how you treat them in the time you allot them.

Some people choose to forget the state they were in before Jesus found them. I know you think you found Him and not the other way around, but trust me when I tell you, Jesus wasn’t hanging around the places you were hanging out in just waiting to be found. He came looking for you, found you where you were, and picked you up from the dirt.

 I think for some, being around those who are still lost and hurting, dirty and broken, is too much of a reminder, so they’d rather avoid them altogether. There is no sin in acknowledging what you once were. On the contrary, it’s a testimony of what God can do and how He can transform a life ready for change.

James is reminding us that the faith of our Lord Jesus, the Lord of glory, is not ours to do with as we will and dole out as we see fit. You are not a proprietor of the faith; you are a beneficiary of it just like everyone else, no matter what your office or calling might be.

You are a servant subordinate to the Master, and it is His business you must be about and not your own. As such, you must conduct yourself and interact with others as He deems appropriate, not as your flesh thinks you ought. I’ve been around long enough to see all types of people demand respect because of a title they claim or an office they hold. Respect is something one earns, not something one demands. You get entrusted with the greater things once you prove faithful in the little ones.

God promotes from within but in His time and at His pace. You may think you’re ready for greater things today, but He knows that you will be ready for greater things tomorrow, and all you can do is continue to walk humbly with your Lord and do that to which you were already called.

The only sure way to a greater tomorrow is to be faithful in your calling today. Even if you are content where God has you, when the moment comes that He calls you to something greater, you will have no choice but to obey because obedience is what God responds to and rewards.

The faith of our Lord Jesus Christ must not be altered by our prejudices, our preconceived notions, or our hasty conclusions about someone based on their appearance or how they present themselves. We cannot give someone preferential treatment based on perceived net worth, what we can gain from ingratiating ourselves, or any other criteria.

Because of how our society has come to be, being unaffected by someone’s possessions, position, or influence might seem like a slight, but that cannot be helped. If they are a true servant of Christ, it will not bother them that they are being treated equally to their fellow brethren. If they are not, they’ll let you know it, usually prefaced by ‘Do you know who I am?’

With love in Christ,

Michael Boldea, Jr.