Wednesday, March 27th, 2019

We all see acts of violence and hate each day in the news; but, sadly, we also hear words of discrimination and anger spoken (or shouted) in the news as well. It is easy to wonder, “How can someone be this cruel to their fellow man?” The short answer is that most of these people do not know they are being cruel. Indeed, there are people who do not even know they are being cruel when they act with such anger, hate, or vehemence because they have been so blinded by the cruelty of what the enemy has wrought in this world. These people are just simply acting like what they see each day in others like them in pursuit of what the world tells them they should be pursuing. To them, they are doing good works because they do not understand what life is like in relationship with Jesus. When we pursue the things of the world – money, power, and fame – over the things of Jesus – faith, peace, and salvation – we eventually will become a product of this cruel world. In James, it says, “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.” Today, shed the confines of this world and see your life as a way for Jesus to reach others through you instead of a way for you to win the prizes of the world.

“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.” – James 4:4