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Sunshine and Shadows

James 1:17

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

It is a bright sunny day today, made even brighter by the white snow-blanket that covers everything. My office window faces south, so on days like this it's always bright, sunny, and cheerful.

In fact, it's so bright in here that it's hard to work. I'm at my computer, and the sun shines right onto my monitor screen - I can hardly see what I'm typing. If I sit at my desk, the morning sun is right in my eyes. Sometimes the sun glances off of a car window in the parking lot and into my face at a different angle—that makes work difficult.

What's to be done? I suppose I could ask God to turn down the sun, but then it would get really cold and the whole world would suffer. Clouds work, but that too takes away the brightness for every one. No, the answer lies with me; I have to make some changes.

I can let my blinds down and adjust them so the sun doesn't come in—sort of creating an artificial shadow. Or I can turn my desk and my computer so the sun doesn't shine on the computer or in my eyes—another way of making a shadow. The sun comes from God. The shadows come from me.

Not all shadows are welcomed by people. If God is the source of the sunshine, of "every good and perfect gift", as in the Bible passage, shadows in life are those things that aren't so good and perfect—Tsunami disasters, commuter train crashes, helicopter accidents, disabilities, the hard work of supporting people with disabilities. All these things are the shadows, and we don't really like them.

Reread the Bible verse.

James 1:17

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

James wants to make sure that we understand that even in the midst of tragedy, in the midst of the seeming unfairness of life, even in the midst of hard work needed to overcome difficulties, God's love is shining.

The shadows—the tragedies, sorrows and struggles of this world—are caused, not by God, but by the sin of mankind. Adam and Eve rebelled against God's authority and sin and death entered into the world. And just like lowering the window shades and repositioning myself can get me out of the direct sunlight, the sin in this world can block the "every good and perfect gift".

Good News. Jesus overcame the sinful nature of man! He overcame temptations, lived a perfect sinless life, took our sin on himself, and put it to death with Him on the cross. He gives forgiveness and new life to us, and lives within us by His Holy Spirit.

So in the middle of struggle there is help, there is resource, there is "every good and perfect gift". As Christians—individually and as part of The Church on earth - we all pledge ourselves to be part of solutions, part of the "good and perfect" gifts. That is my personal pledge as part of the Body of Christ.

We Pray: Lord God, You are good and perfect, and give the "good and perfect". Help us in those times of shadow to draw on You for our source of strength and light. In Jesus' name, Amen!