Three thoughts crept on me today; Worldly, James, and a fat pigeon…

A rather fat pigeon greeted me on the feeding table today. He seems well fed with plenty of food, especially as he comes from across the way where he gets more food. Other little birds don’t seem to get a look in. We have to make our mark in the world. The smaller birds were keeping their distance.

Aristotle was supposed to have said— ‘To avoid criticism say nothing, do nothing, be nothing.’

Is Jesus telling us to be like this? Quite flatly, no!

James 1:1-4

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

With terrible reports of more deaths of Christians ringing in my ears I wonder how is this all going to be resolved. Christians being thrown overboard by Muslims. Is this really the way?

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/04/16/europe/italy-migrants-christians-thrown-overboard/

Obviously not. There are times when we have to stand up and fight for our rights. I believe todays society in the uk and in the world is completely against Christians. We are laughed at by many and scorned by some, and to some we seem an easy target. They might say “Just take what you can from them, they won’t complain, they are supposed to love”.

James though warns against fights and wars and quarrels over what we don’t have, over gluttony. If we have things that seem luxurious then perhaps we can either use them for God’s purpose or we could give them away?

James says that we do not have because we do not ask, and more importantly that we do not ask for the right things. We should not ask for things for ourselves but for things to further God’s plan.

The pigeon seems to be eating beyond what he needs. I think in the west we all seem to do that to some extent. Let us instead ask how we can use what we have for God’s purpose, after all God designed us and knew what we would need so trust He will supply our every daily need and love God not the world.

Lord I ask for strength for all the people who are suffering because of all the hate in the world. Bring your peace and justice down upon this earth and help your people who are oppressed. Bring them peace and comfort in this day, in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ.

Amen