To Inflict or Impart? // James 1:17

Today’s verse is a beautiful reminder, isn’t it? As nice as it might look on a coffee mug or bumper sticker, it is also connected to the idea of deception. What? Yep. James cautioned his readers against thinking that God inflicts bad things on people, particularly when it comes to the poor choices we make ourselves. Only good comes from God, which is accentuated in James 1:18, “He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created” (NIV). The best news here is God chooses to give us new life, even though we are still prone to wayward living. Please take that as a good and perfect gift since that is precisely what God is…good AND perfect! And thanks to the justification that comes to us through Christ Jesus, the Lord imparts that to you and me. So, if you feel like God inflicts troubles on you, change the way you think. God isn’t in the inflicting business, but imparting Jesus’ righteousness. That’s a good and perfect gift indeed!