James 1:27

New American Standard Version

This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father, to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Pastor’s Paraphrase

          True spiritual maturity, the kind that the Lord looks upon as pure and without error produces the kind of Christian that cares for orphans, widows, and others who are in times of crisis and distress. A believer with this kind of spiritual maturity is careful to guard himself from the sinful pollutants of the world around him.

 “How does this help me become more like Him?”

          Recognition and attention from others can cause a person, even a redeemed child of God, to get a falsely inflated image of his own importance.  Our western culture is fascinated with and promotes a “celebrity mentality”.  Entertainers and sports figures can become idolized by undiscerning masses.  These individuals can grow to “larger than life” proportions in the minds of their fans.  When one receives such attention, their sinful nature prompts them to become puffed up in their own opinion and image of themselves.

          In the increasingly commercialized realm of Christian media and music, even Christian authors and artists can fall prey to this subtle path to inflated self-importance.  I have a son who is a Contemporary Christian artist and whose music has gained a degree of national recognition.  In discussing this temptation for those in the spotlight of contemporary Christian music, he says there is nothing better for him to remain humble than to come home to change dirty diapers and have his children slobber and wipe snot on his shoulder.  That would do it, I think.

          Jesus’ disciples fell into this trap as well.  As word spread about the miracle working ministry of Jesus, the crowds began to grow and people began to clamor for the attention of the Lord.  At one point, the disciples sought to move the Lord away from the people and separate Jesus from the encroaching throng.  Jesus would have none of it.  They were not a crowd to Him; they were individuals with many needs, the greatest of which was to know Him by faith.  Jesus made time and gave attention to each one who needed Him.  He was not “Jesus Christ, Superstar” as the confused 1970’s rock opera portrayed Him, He was and is the loving Shepherd who knows everything about each one of us and loves us still.

          For us to live more like Him, we must look upon and relate to people as He did.  There were no unimportant or insignificant people in the mind and heart of the Savior.  He did not treat people based on what they could do for Him; He loved them based on their need.  For us to reflect His life in our own, we must not become content to remain in our own comfortable circle of those who are like us.  We must care about and relate redemptively to those who can bring us no benefit – the poor, the forgotten, the unborn, the unlovely, and the one whose life is scarred by sinful choices.

          We must give our attention and extend Christ’s love to them not because it makes us look good or will garner some attention for us.  We must genuinely love them because Christ loves them and we are His eyes, His hands, and His heart in this world.

          One of the things that endears my church family to its pastor is that they simply love people.  They extend Christ’s love to so many and don’t care if anyone knows about it or not.  They do it because Christ’s love lives in them and through them.  They bless me week after week because of these evidences of true spiritual maturity.

“How should I pray for Him to change my life?”

Ask the Lord to give you an ever growing love for those who might be overlooked or uncared for.  Pray that you would have opportunities to love them in Christ and never care if you get attention for it or not.  Thank Him today that you are able to love others because of how He first loved you.

 END