“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” James 13:17
It probably comes as no surprise that it’s super easy for Moms and Dads to imagine our adult children as the little kids they used to be. Maybe it’s an effect of aging on the brain, maybe because we spent the most time with them during those years or maybe because of nostalgia. It just is.
We still call our kids by their little kid names, which they oddly warmed back up to after they gave up being teenagers. Maybe because of nostalgia. I don’t know.
It’s on my mind because in a little over two weeks from this writing, my daughter will be getting married and I’m working on my wedding toast.
When I try to start thinking about her in her wedding dress, my mind rockets back to when she was 2 or 3: charging through the front hall, squealing with delight, little bare feet clomping clumsily, blonde ringlets over her blue eyes, cute little pink corduroy overalls, reaching up, balling and un-balling her little fists at me in the universal sign of “pick me up and hug me” as I came through the door from work.
That memory is perfect to me. I’ve returned to it often and certainly more frequently over the last several months as we’ve gotten close to the wedding. It doesn’t really help with the toast, but I like to time travel there and spend a few moments when I can.
According to Strong’s Concordance, the word that translates as “pure” in James 3:17 is the Greek word “hagnos” which is also synonymous with “innocent, modest, perfect” among others. How could anything from Heaven be anything BUT pure, first?
Now – imagine we’ve shaken off the selfishness James talks about in 3:14 and could run up to God with outstretched arms. In fact, we don’t have to imagine it!
In Galatians 4:6, Paul says, “Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father””.
God. Remembers. You.
Pray
Father God, thank You for remembering me as I remember those that I love and so much more. I pray that You would give me the eyes to really see the world around me as you do, and the nudges to act through Your Spirit when and where You would have me act.
