shawnethomas

In the early 1900’s, humorist Finley Peter Dunne said that “The newspaper does everything for us. It runs the police force and the banks, commands the militia, controls the legislature, baptizes the young, marries the foolish, comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable, buries the dead, and roasts them afterward.” Many of us have heard that expression “comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable” and wondered where it came from. Some assume that it came from scripture, and might be disappointed to discover that it came from the lips of 1900’s era comedian!
Although the words “comforting the afflicted” and “afflicting the comfortable” are not found in scripture, that is the very thing the word of God does. In fact it is true for the passage we are going to study today, James 1:9-11. Here James gives us truths which should comfort the poorest and most afflicted among us; and humble the most lofty in our midst. Let’s read this chapter together again, and then bring our attention to :9-11, and see how these words challenge each one of us, whatever our material and financial standing, to look to the Lord. Continue reading →