Day 29: James, The Brother of Jesus (Mark 3:20, 31)
It hadn’t been easy growing up with Jesus as my older brother. Hearing over and over the story of His divine conception only added to my feelings of inferiority. How could I ever measure up to a brother who was the Savior? He always seemed to do what was right, and I always had to learn everything the hard way.
Jealousy became a way of life for me. It started when Jesus didn’t pick me to be one of His disciples—ME! His brother! This feeling led me to do strange things that seemed right at the time. For instance, there was the time that my family and I tried to take Jesus into custody because we were all sure He had lost His senses. When we came to the place where He was, and they told Him that His family had arrived, He said that His mother and brothers were those who would do His will. I was insulted! Then I tried to get my brother to “go public” at one of our Feasts, knowing how many Jews would be there. I wanted to cash in on His popularity and power, but He saw right through me. Again, I was rebuked, and He didn’t attend the feast, at least as far as I knew.
But something changed in my heart as I watched Him at the trial and crucifixion. Suddenly I knew that what I’d been told from the beginning was all true. When Jesus rose from the dead that blessed morning, there were no doubts that remained. I knew for sure He was the Savior.
Now I understood that to be His brother, I had to do His will. He was no longer by biological brother; He was my spiritual Brother, my Lord and Savior.
Do you remember all those lessons I said that I had to learn the hard way? They became a part of the Spirit’s contribution to God’s Word through me. In the Bible you read today you can learn how to do God’s will in the book that bears my name, the Book of James.
Does it insult you that Jesus still says that His family is those who do His will, not the ones who just believe in Him? Beyond your salvation, how are you purposing daily to do His will? Have you seen in James’ life a God who can use you no matter what your sins have been?
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