The Crown of Life
James 1:12 NIV [12] Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
James is writing to people who are suffering trials, of which many of us wouldn’t even dare think about for a prolonged period of time. The very thought of some of these trials would leave the strongest stomach squeamish, and the clearest minds traumatised. What is there to say when opposition seems to encompass us, and suffering is a present reality which seems to be lasting an eternity? What else could we say other than, “keep calm, and carry on”. This was effectively James’s message to the suffering saints.
When we suffer trials, we are often tempted to shake our fists at God or blame him for our afflictions. But James has a much bigger view of God than fist shakers, he understands the sovereignty and goodness of God over these suffering saints. He says, these trials, count them a joy. Why? Because these trials have a purpose, and a purpose always has an end.
So, to what end did these people suffer? Well, their suffering produced in them perseverance; what they experienced, made their faith in God far stronger than it was before, they were able to go through greater tests. And this ability to persevere in suffering made them wiser, and this wisdom produced in them meekness; this is exactly what wisdom does, it makes a person meek, the author of Proverbs wrote this, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7), and surely meekness must be the result of fearing God, for it’s not possible to both know God truly and therefore fear him and remain haughty.
So far we have seen, that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance produces wisdom, and wisdom produces meekness, and what did Jesus say about the meek? Well, he said in his ‘Sermon on the Mount’, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5). And James leads the suffering saints to the glorious, final and ultimate end to persevering through Christian suffering, it is an eternal reward, to be with Christ, to be crowned by him, and to rule with him in peace for ever, “blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth”, Surely, this is a great reason to persevere with faith, through trials of various kinds. In 2 Corinthians 4:16-17 Paul puts Christian suffering in the right perspective.
“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison”
What was true for them, is true for us, our trials always have a purpose; so may we keep calm and persevere through our trials, may we trust God through them, and learn from our trials, growing wise by them, for an eternal reward awaits us. God is preparing us to bear his crown of life. And he is preparing us by crowning us with his lesser crown, his crown of thorns, for that crown is far lighter in comparison to his crown of life. If he placed that crown on our heads today, we would be crushed under its immense weight. But we will be ready when Glory calls us home.
Dear Lord, sustain us through the various trials we are facing, or will one day face. Remind us of your love for us, and help us to love you through these trials, for we know that you are preparing us for the crown of life, Amen.
James Burke.
