Setting an Example

As the oldest of five children, I have always felt a responsibility to set an example for my younger brothers and sister. I have three younger brothers and a younger sister. Each of them grew up often being identified as "Josh's little brother" or "Josh's little sister". This is to be expected and was a duty that I regarded as very important.

It was important for me growing up to demonstrate to my younger brothers and sister the decisions in life that they should make. I wanted them to avoid the party scene. I wanted them to respect their parents and teachers. I wanted them to see how to do the right thing and to have had a good example to follow. This morning I read Mark 5 and 6. In Mark 5:37 I was struck by a simple phrase within this verse. The verse says "And He allowed no one to accompany Him, except Peter and James and John the brother of James." (NASB)

This is what is referred to as the Inner Circle. These three men and Andrew represented the 4 men closest to Jesus and thus were priviledged to have seen and heard things from Jesus that the other disciples were not previed to. In this verse the phrase "John the brother of James" caught my eye. It reminded me of a younger brother who was known by his identification to the older brother. So I looked it up and this is what I found out: Of the 17 times in which James and John are mentioned together in the same verse in the synoptic gospels, James is always mentioned first (Matt 4:21; 10:2; 17:1; Mk 1:19; 1:29; 3:17; 5:37; 9:2; 10:35; 10:41; 13:3; 14:33;Lu 5:10; 6:14; 8:51; 9:28; 9:54). The only occurrence in all of Scripture which he is not listed before John is Acts 1:13.

Thus, he was the older brother. People knew John because they first knew James. They made assumptions about John's character based upon James. They assumed that John was probably in some way very similar to James. And in fact they were - both being called the "Sons of Thunder" (Mk 3:17) for their quick temperments and high level of energy.

However, I also recalled something else significant. In Acts 12:2 we learn about the death of James where it simply says "And he had James the brother of John put to death with a sword." (NASB)

Thus, even in death James set a precedence for his younger brother. He showed John how to live his life so courageously that he would even choose to become martyred for his faith in Jesus.

What an incredible example he set! And his younger brother would need it. Later John penned the book of Revelation only because he had been exiled to the island of Patmos. James was a leader. He was a man of integrity who raised the bar and invited his younger brother to join him and to live up to the calling that Jesus had given to both of them in their lives.

"Heavenly Father, I thank you for the example of James. I pray that I too may demonstrate to my own brothers and sister how to live their lives willing to sacrifice everything for the sake of Your Kingdom and their King - Jesus."

I pray that you will remember the example of James set as you set an example for your siblings and those who look up to you in the Lord.

Joshua

Are You Perfect?

"Are you perfect?" It's a fair question when you think about it. Are you perfect? Am I perfect? When asked this question, if we're honest with one another the answer is emphatically "No!". Our reasoning may be very different. You might say, "I'm not perfect because I have made mistakes in my life." I might say that I am not perfect because I have "sin" in my life.

However, at the end of the day, we can both admit that you are not perfect. Nor am I. Yet, is it not possible that you are perfect and that the standard of "perfection" simply includes the so-called mistakes that you have made? If you've said a lie before, is it not possible that under your own circumstances, stating the lie was in fact the correct thing to do and that because of it you're still perfect? Couldn't you apply this logic to any and every so-called mistake that you have made?

I suppose you could but then if I also applied that same logic we'd quickly find that your definition of perfection and mine vary because we have made different choices under different circumstances which each of us would say was wrong but in which we were attempting to prove as o.k.

Thus, it doesn't take us long to come to the realization that we are not perfect. Yet, how can this be? If you as an imperfect being are capable of recognizing that which is perfect, how is that possible? How can someone imperfect understand the concept of "perfection"?

You might say, "Hey, that's simple. I see things all around me that are wrong and thus I recognize them as such. The wrong things point to what is right." While its true that wrong things remind us what is right, they do not "prove" what is right. Why? Because such a statement is a logical fallacy. Knowledge of a concept always precedes proof of its existence. You must know what a car is before you can prove that a Honda Accord is a car.

Here's the point: "Knowledge of something must precede a test for it". In other words, "Knowledge of a standard must precede knowlege of compliance to it". A concept precedes evidence. A hypothesis must precede a conclusion made about it. If I drew two lines on a piece of paper and asked you if they were equal, could you tell me? You could. Why? Because your understanding of that which is "equal" preceded the question I posed to you.

Therefore, you and I can have a knowledge of perfection without even being perfect. How did this occur? Rene Decartes, a French Philosopher from 1506-1650, argued that it must have been given to us by another - namely God.

Thus, when you were born you were given an understanding of a being that was perfect in all ways. You understood that a perfect being must be all-powerful, all-knowing, holy, righteous, pure, just, all-loving, and many, many other things. You understood this even though you had never seen nor met God.

Thus, when Paul says in Romans 1:19 that "because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them" he is saying that you and I were born with the capacity to know what God is and who He is. God is whatever is perfect. God is infinite. He is not limited in anyway. He is whatever your definition of perfection includes.

Therefore, you have been given a tremendous gift: Knowledge of God. It is an innate quality that all men possess. The next question is, "What are you going to do with such knowledge?"

Are you going to seek to know God? Or will you attempt to deny the very knowledge that you now know is already within you?

Joshua