James 1:12 – “The Key”

As always, here’s my fairly literal translation of this verse:

¹²Blessed [is the] man who is enduring trial, because having been proven, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those loving Him.

This one verse is so chalk full of truth, a person could write for days on it. Several commentators that I read offered helpful observations from practically every word. A few enduring impressions on my mind: note what a paradox the first phrase is. “Blessed [is the] man who is enduring trial…” If this world were all there is, the verse would be nonsense. It would read instead, “Blessed is the man who lives free from any form of suffering.” But, as we learned in vv2-4 and were reminded by the poor man of v9, since our God is in charge, we see our lives through a very different lens. Our great Coach always keeps us in training, making us better than we are, grinding away at the faults and sins that ruin our lives, and helping us become the very people He intended us to be from the beginning. He is absolutely committed to seeing us “win.” Once we really comprehend this (and I feel I’ve only begun), then we can wholeheartedly agree that, “Blessed [is the] man who is enduring trial…”

Of course, we don’t receive the “crown” until after we’ve competed. We learned a long time ago from the Savior that you have to wear the crown of thorns first, before there is a crown of gold. That is of course obvious in the athletic world, that the pain of training and striving comes first, but applies as well to our lives as believers. The key as in this verse is to endure, to stay in the race, to keep trying until suddenly we find we’ve crossed the finish line.

I thought it interesting to note as well that, in the Great Race of faith, in a sense we are not competing against each other, but really only against ourselves. As Paul said in I Cor 9:24-27, in this world, “only one gets the prize.” But with heavenly pursuits, my gaining of a crown doesn’t mean someone else fails. Each competes on their own and each will be rewarded in accordance with their own achievements. As in the Parable of the Talents, whether the man earned five or only two, both received the same commendation from the Judge, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant …” In this world, the only way to judge if a man “did his best” is to award the winner. Our Heavenly Judge is a “discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” and can thus judge everyone totally in accordance with their own abilities and accomplishments. Wouldn’t it be great if there could be an Olympic event where the winner really was the one who tried the hardest? But we humans have not such discernment. But the Lord does!

As I said earlier, there are many more helpful observations that can be drawn from this one verse. They are all available to anyone who’d care to consult any of a number of good Bible commentaries. There was one point from this verse though that struck me most deeply that can be drawn from the final phrase, “ …which the Lord has promised to those loving Him.”

“… to those loving Him.”

Note it is not simply “to those who suffer,” nor is it even “to those who endure suffering.” It is “to those loving Him.” Obviously there is not necessarily any benefit to those who simply suffer. As the old saying goes, “Trials will either make you bitter or better.” But neither does He promise anything to those who endure the suffering. From the “Blessed [is the] man who is enduring trial,” one could presume that enduring is the key. However, as Paul warned us in I Cor 13:3, “If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.”  

The crown is not to those who suffer or even to those who endure suffering but rather to those who love Him.

As far back as Deuteronomy 6:5, what was the first and great commandment? “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart …” The promise is all things work together for good “to those who love God.” The crown of righteousness is for “them that love His appearing” (II Tim 4:8)” “But whoever loves God is known by God” (I Cor 8:3). I am amazed to find once again that it all comes down to love. I shouldn’t be. God is love.

I think it actually helpful to learn that the key is not just to endure but to be loving God while we do. That makes sense. As I look ahead, whatever the trials may be, I am not sure I will endure. I don’t know if I can do it, if I’ve got what it takes. Will I have the strength? I don’t know. I fear myself and how easily my heart will succumb to any number of temptations. But what if I just keep trying to love God? Even in that I have no confidence in myself, yet somehow it seems do-able. And somehow my heart likes the idea of making that my goal – to just keep loving God – because, if I’m loving God, I actually think I will endure. Somehow I’ll make it through if I can just keep His lovely face in view, not forget He loves me, not forget His way is best, that He will never give me more than I can bear, that all things are working together for good, that I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

¹²Blessed [is the] man who is enduring trial, because having been proven, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those loving Him.