JAMES DAY 26 - Who is Happy?

DAY 26
WHO IS HAPPY?
James 3:13

Who do you know who is happy - really happy?

In a 2005 interview, actor Jim Carrey told a reporter that earlier in his career, he believed that making just one more film, getting one more hit, would be enough, but he got tired of being emotionally disappointed. “I think everybody should get rich and famous and everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that that’s not the answer.”

What makes us happy?

This week’s section of James’s letter is its heart. He opens this section with a question: “Who is wise among you?” He’s not just talking about teachers some more. James is asking, “Who’s got it together? Who’s smart, successful, on the way up?” In a sense, these are happy people. James knows those are the people we look to, listen to, and imitate.

Just like Jesus (again!), James urges us to look at the fruit of someone’s life. The truly wise and successful will “show it by their good life.” There’s another kind of so-called wisdom that makes us think that fame and money will make us happy.

We’ll compare these wisdoms tomorrow. Today we should sit with this question and the question behind it. First, who is wise among you? In other words, who do you look at as a model of success? Who do you look at as someone worth copying? Second, what fruit do you see in your life? Do you feel peace and contentment deep down?

REFLECT
Think about the final paragraph above.

PRAY
Lord Jesus Christ, you are the truly wise person. You are truly successful and happy. I want to copy you. Help me. Amen.