James 1:1
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings.
James, the writer of the book of James, was Jesus’ actual brother, another child of Joseph and Mary. What would it be like to be the brother of Jesus? It is easy to think of some negatives. You’re not going to get better grades or be more attentive at Synagogue. Once Jesus was resurrected and proven to be who He said He was, I’m sure their sibling dynamic changed. Suddenly James had an inside track with God Himself.
Yet when we find James in the New Testament, he doesn’t call himself Jesus’ brother. Here, he calls himself Jesus’ servant. He had come to know Jesus as He truly is. Instead of competing or trying to curry favor, James fell at the feet of his Lord Jesus Christ. If you’ve grown up with the name of Jesus, have you ever really seen Him for who He is? Have you fallen at His feet?
Prayer prompt: Lord, teach me to approach You with the reverence You deserve.